Born Again
by pipthepenguin
Summary: Luke said he'd try for rebirth. Maybe even the Isles of the Blest. What happens when Luke is reborn? Is he good? Is he bad? Does he save the world? Does he destroy it? Do you want to find out?
1. Luke Dies

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO. I don't even look like Mr Riordan.**

**Heyyy! Its me, back with a brand new fanfic! Love it? Hate it? Don't really care? I want to know you're opinion, so please review!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed:  
jk, this is the first chapter, how could there be any reviews? hope there are lots when I write chapter 2!**

**"A man who won't die for something is not fit to live." -Martin Luther King Jr.**

≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈ wiggly ≈

Percy sidestepped and jabbed under Kronos's guard. It was a good trick. Unfortunately, Luke knew it. He countered the strike and disarmed Percy using one of the first moves he'd ever taught him. Percy's sword skittered across the ground.

"STOP!" Annabeth came from nowhere.

Kronos whirled to face her and slashed with Backbiter, but somehow Annabeth caught the strike on her dagger hilt, holding Kronos at a standstill. For a moment, Annabeth stood face-to-face with the Titan lord.

"Luke," she said through gritted teeth, "I understand now. You have to trust me."

Luke groaned in pain. He tried to hold Kronos back, but the Titan's power was too much for him. Kronos roared in outrage. "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!" Kronos pushed against Annabeth, trying to dislodge his blade, but she held him down.

"Your mother," Annabeth grunted. "She saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos!" the Titan roared. "This is my fate."

"No!" Annabeth insisted. Her eyes were tearing up. "That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy: she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

"I will crush you, child!" Kronos bellowed. Luke winced. He did not want Annabeth to be hurt.

"You won't," Annabeth said. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now."

"LIES!" Kronos pushed again, and this time Annabeth lost her balance. With his free hand, Kronos struck her face, and she slid backward. Luke could feel Kronos's spirit forcing his arms to raise his sword. Luke pushed against that force, but he could feel he was losing.

"Family, Luke. You promised." Blood trickled down the corner of Annabeth's mouth.

In a rage of fury and regret, Luke defied Kronos's power and gained control over his body. He stared at the knife in Annabeth's hand, the blood on her face. "_Promise._"

Luke gasped like a fish out of water. "Annabeth…" Luke stumbled forward like he wasn't completely in control of his body. "You're bleeding…"

"My knife." Annabeth tried to raise her dagger, but it clattered out of her hand. Her arm was bent at a funny angle. "Percy, please…"

Percy surged forward and scooped up Annabeth's knife. He knocked Backbiter out of Luke's hand but Luke couldn't care less. He stepped toward Annabeth, but Percy intervened.

"Don't touch her," Percy snarled.

Luke groaned in pain as Kronos's took over again. "Jackson…" Luke started to panic; his body was glowing, turning to gold. Kronos's was changing. He wouldn't need Luke's body anymore. Luke fought harder than ever and gasped, "He's changing. Help. He's…he's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please—"

"NO!" Kronos bellowed. Luke felt his head jerk to the side as Kronos looked for Backbiter. Kronos stumbled towards the hearth were his sword was sitting. Percy tried to stop him, but Kronos pushed him out of the way.

Luke could barely think as his body stumbled to his sword, and he didn't hear Annabeth mumble, "The knife, Percy. Hero…cursed blade…"

Kronos picked up Backbiter, but the coals in the hearth had grown red-hot and the sword couldn't handle the heat. Luke and Kronos both bellowed in pain. Kronos dropped the sword and lifted his hand. It was smoking and seared.

With the pain distracting Kronos, Luke took the opportunity to speak. "Please, Percy…"

Percy moved toward him. Luke guessed that he was planning to kill Kronos himself, but Luke knew that wouldn't work. "You can't…can't do it yourself. He'll break my control. He'll defend himself. Only my hand. I know where. I can…can keep him controlled."

Percy raised the knife to strike, but then he looked at Annabeth, at Grover cradling her in his arms, trying to shield her. It seemed as though Percy finally understood what Annabeth been trying to tell him.

Luke's skin started to smoke. He was definitely glowing now. Luke started to panic. He groaned, "Please. No time." If Kronos evolved into his true form, there would be no stopping him.

Percy stumbled then flipped the knife around in his hand and gave the it to Luke.

Grover yelped. "Percy? Are you…um…?"

Luke ignored Grover and grasped the hilt of the dagger. He unlatched the side straps of his armor, exposing a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit. Luke took a few shallow breaths. He couldn't do it. In the most important decision of his life, he'd fail. Luke looked up at Annabeth. She looked like she was on Hades' doorstep. Without thinking, Luke stabbed himself.

It wasn't a deep cut, but Luke howled. His eyes glowed like lava. The throne room shook. An aura of energy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter. A force like a nuclear explosion blasted from Luke's body. Then there was only blackness.

When Luke blinked his eyes open, he was sprawled at the hearth. On the floor around him was a blackened circle of ash. Kronos's scythe had liquefied into molten metal and was trickling into the coals.

Luke's left side was bloody. He opened his blue eyes. He took a deep rattling breath. "Good…blade," he croaked.

Percy knelt next to Luke. Annabeth, with Grover's help, limped over. They both had tears in their eyes.

Luke gazed at Annabeth. He felt guilty and grateful. "You knew. I almost killed you, but you knew…"

"Shh." Annabeth's voice trembled. "You were a hero at the end, Luke. You'll go to Elysium."

Luke shook his head weakly. "Think…rebirth. Try for three times. Isles of the Blest."

Annabeth sniffled. "You always pushed yourself too hard."

Luke held up his charred hand. Annabeth touched his fingertips. Luke felt warmth spread from the point in his fingers from where Annabeth touched him. Luke coughed. "Did you…did you love me?"

Luke watched as Annabeth wiped her tears away. "There was a time I thought…well, I thought…" Annabeth coughed. "You were like a brother to me, Luke, but I didn't love you."

Luke nodded. He had expected as much. After all, he never saw her as more than a little sister, right? Luke winced.

"We can get ambrosia," Grover said. "We can—"

"Grover," Luke gulped. "You're the bravest satyr I ever knew. But no. There's no healing…" Luke coughed again. He could feel his life seeping away. Luke griped Percy's sleeve. "Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it…don't let it happen again."

Luke felt bitter and angry. Couldn't his father have paid a little more attention to him? Couldn't all the gods have paid a little more attention to their children?

Percy nodded, "I won't, I promise."

Luke nodded. He felt like his life was a small price to pay if the children of gods were no longer neglected. He felt like there was no need to hold on to the last sliver of life still left in him. He let go. Swirls of red danced before his eyelids. He could hear echoes of Percy's voice. Then, everything went black.


	2. A Baby Is Born

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO. Miss Author is relieved that she does not have to type /HoO anymore.**

**Thanks to all those who reviewed:  
Potatofairyilzm - i love love love love love love love love love love love the series more than you do.  
TheMysteriousHi - thanks! :)  
Saving Grace - lol stalker. gracias para la review :) wait do you do spanish or french in school? are you even in school? maybe you're really really old, like thirty five. jk thirty five isn't old, at least not to my mom... :|  
I am Reyna daughter of Bellona - merci  
Reyna23 - whoah you got an account! coolieo! hey look i'm one of your fav authors and stories, awwww thanks :) you gonna write anything? i'll be sure to review!  
vball17girl - yes that is rite, chickenwangito is a big meanie...sowwie wapple. i stealed that from u. poo me.**

**you know what 's funny, i used to know a guy called luke. feels weird typing his name every other sentence...**

**"Never give up; for even rivers someday wash dams away." -Arthur Golden**

(::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::) cookie (::)

Luke stood in Charon's boat, crossing the River Styx. Luke remembered his dip in the Styx. He remembered seeing when he, Annabeth, and Thalia were on the run. Annabeth was so young. Luke felt a pang of regret. He had almost killed Annabeth, and the last time he had seen Thalia she'd kicked him off a cliff.

Debris swirled in the dark waters of the Styx. A deflated birthday balloon, a child's pacifier, a little plastic bride and groom from the top of a cake. Luke wished he could have lived such a simple life. _No._ Luke chastised himself. _Think Isles of the Blest._

Luke looked up at the man standing in front of him. He looked like a skeleton in a dark robe. Charon.

The boat rocked as it slid onto a dark beach. Luke stepped off the boat with the rest of the passengers. A girl about Luke's age stumbled and fell right through Luke's ghostly body. If he could've, he would've shouted in surprise. Instead, Luke stared at the girl. She was beautiful, no doubt about it. With flowing blond hair so light it looked like white, and emerald green eyes, Luke thought she looked like an angel. Luke shook his head. What did he care about a girl?

Three loud howls brought Luke back to reality. Cerberus, the three-headed dog, growled again. His right head stared straight at Luke. Luke shivered. Behind Cerberus, Luke saw the Walls of Erebus and the Main Gate. Hundreds of thousands of spirits were crowded around the gate, trying to get through. Luke joined the group with a bad feeling that he would be waiting there for a long time.

Luke didn't know how long he waited in line for. Few months? Few years? Few decades? Luke had no idea.

The spirits in front of Luke suddenly disappeared. Right in front of him stood the main gates. Luke stepped forwards. There was no turning back now; he was officially in the underworld.

Once inside the gates, Luke walked into a large pavilion and stood before the judges' bench. Three black-robed figures in golden masks stared down at him.

The judges asked Luke no questions. They simply looked into his mind, pulling thoughts from his head and examining them like a collection of old photos.

"Destroyed Kronos," the first judge said thoughtfully. "Prevented the destruction of the world."

"But he supported the Titan and helped him rise to power in the first place," the second judged interrupted. "Guilty of cowardice and evil intentions."

"He was angry," the third judge reasoned. "The gods are at fault."

"He should have controlled his anger." The second judge seemed convinced that Luke was guilty and deserved punishment.

"The boy destroyed Kronos. He prevented the end of age of the gods. He was the hero of the Great Prophecy," the first judge said.

The second judge nodded. "Yes, he was a hero in the end."

The third judged sighed then was silent.

"Elysium?" the first judge asked.

"No! Fields of Asphodel," the second judge said quickly.

"He was a hero in the end," repeated the third judge. "He deserves Elysium."

Again, the third judge was silent.

Luke guessed that was the final decision because a second later he was swept away through the pavilion and down to the never-ending party.

Spirits were dancing, floating actually, but trying to dance. Music blared from nowhere all around. Luke guessed that the music sounded different to each spirit. He spotted an older couple waltzing across a dance floor and a group of young girls dancing to pop music.

"Welcome, Luke Castellan," a voice called from nowhere. "A choice stands before you. You can enter Elysium and put your choice off for later, or you can choose now."

Luke swallowed. He could wait. _No,_ Luke told himself. _If I wait, I might change my mind._ "I'd like to choose now."

"As you wish." A figure with two faces descended from above. Janus. Two gates stood behind the god. One, Luke could see, led to the River Lethe. His memory could be washed and he could choose for rebirth. The other gate led to Elysium. He could keep his memory and join the party. Luke hesitated, and then made up his mind.

Without Luke saying anything, Janus knew his decision. Janus took a large key and unlocked the gate. The rusty metal door swung open and Luke stepped forward. He walked down a long path to the River Lethe. The milky-white water sloshed invitingly onto the bank. Luke remembered the last time he visited a river in the underworld. It had ended, indirectly, in his death. This time, the river would lead him to a new life, a new chance.

Luke took a deep breath then jumped into the water. The water felt freezing cold yet he could feel his skin boiling. Luke tried to scream, but he didn't know how. Memories seeped through his skin and Luke watched them float away. He didn't even know who he was anymore. He tried to gasp for breath. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe.

Somewhere far away, a mother screamed and a baby was born.


	3. Where's The Baby?

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO. If she did, the books would never been published. Who'd want to read a thirteen year old's writing...oh yes that's right, YOU would!**

**what's that? A bird! No, an airplane! No, its an update! woohoo!**

**thanks to everyone who reviewed:  
I am Reyna daughter of Bellona - huh? stole your grammar? what? i am confused  
Saving Grace - soooooo...your birthday is in may?  
Reyna23 - I'm going to pretend I know what wattpad is... :|  
TheMysteriousHi - reincarnation definitely gonna be a demigod. i think itd be ironic if he's a son of mercury...get it?  
vball17girl- the first two chapters are part of the story dum dum. u called me a big fat meanie, i is gonna shun u. SHUN SHUN SHUN SHUN SHUN  
Meepmeep123 - why thank you very much :)*bows* *applause applause***

**"Ah, babies! They're more than just adorable little creatures on whom you can blame your farts." -Tina Fey**

*67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67

Mae held a soft blue blanket in her arms. The baby boy in the blanket wriggled in his mother's arms.

"So, where's his father?" The cheery nurse was starting to get on Mae's nerves. Why was she so nosy?

"What's it to you?" Mae snapped. She instantly felt guilty at the look on the nurse's face. She hadn't meant to be that rude. She cradled her baby and sighed.

"So, wh-what are you going to…going to name the baby?" the nurse asked tentatively.

Mae thought for a second. She opened her mouth to say something, but the nurse spoke before she could.

"We have a great selection of boy's names in our reference book right here," the nurse happily pulled out a great big blue book from one of the desk drawers. "We have the top one hundred most common names, ancient, traditional names, Asian names…" The nurse counted on her fingers all the different types of names listed in her huge book.

"Thank you very much, but I can choose my son's name by myself," Mae interrupted before the nurse could really get on a role.

"Greek names, Roman names, Egyptian names…" The nurse continued listing names.

Mae sighed. She didn't know how to that nurse to shut up.

"I'd go with a Roman name. He seems like the type." The nurse started nodding and smiling as if they were sharing a private joke. Mae rolled her eyes.

"Could you, um, get me a…uh…glass of water! Yes, a glass of water, please." Mae asked. Maybe this would get rid of the annoying nurse.

"Yes ma'am, right away." The nurse scurried away to grab a glass of water. Mae leaned back. Peace and quiet at last.

It wasn't two seconds after Mae found some quiet time that her son started crying. Mae groaned. All she needed was a bit of silence. If only that crazy god hadn't fallen in love with her. She loved him, of course, but look where it had gotten her. All alone with no money, no home, and a son she couldn't care for.

~oOo~

Mae spent as long as she could at the hospital. She stayed until the doctors kicked her out.

Holding her month old son in her arms, Mae stumbled onto the street. Where could she find somewhere to stay?

Mae wandered around the streets for several days with her son. She was hungry, tired, and she couldn't take care of her child. What little food she had, she gave to her son. Slowly, she starved to death.

One month later, Mae died on the streets, completely alone. No one knew where her son disappeared to, not even Mae, herself.

*67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67 witheld *67

**By the way people, I REALLY NEED HELP! I don't know what I should call luke's reincarnation. soooo...I am asking you all. *ahem* WHOEVER REVIEWS AND GIVES ME THE BEST IDEA FOR A NAME (first and last) SHALL GET A...wait for it...SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK (by pm of course)!**

**let me just tell you that I can't update unless there's a name for the kid soooo...please help me!**


	4. A Hooded Figure Scares The Little Boy

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO and wishes that Mr Riordan would hurry up with MoA.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed:  
potatofairyilzm - yeah no...but you can name your characters wayn if you do mrs teacher's creative writing thingy.  
TheMysteriousHi - thanks for the offers, but I'm going to go with Lukas.  
Saving Grace - why can't you become an author now? why do you have to wait until you're thirteen?  
ThukeFANGIRLEVA - that gives me an idea...maybe Lukas meets the huntresses somehow...  
vball17girl - thx for the name...i still don't know for a last name tho...what do you think about Castell. Its like Castellan without the 'an'. ANYONE ELSE CAN COMMENT ON THAT TOO PLEASE!**

**"Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free." -Jim Morrison**

awehgioajdlskfn blah aoweigjaldkhgaowiefj blah oaiwhgoaiwefjlk blah aowiefjalkdghaoiewfj blah aowiehgalwkefjoi blah nalksdfjoailawkefj blah ajwoeifjpwaoefja

A four year old boy climbed over the couch, ran around the coffee table, and crawled around the living room floor of a lovely white house with huge corinthian columns. An old woman walked into the room.

"_Avia_!" The little boy stood up and waddled over to the old lady. "Lookie what I made!"

The old woman had her gray hair knotted in a tight bun at the nape of her neck and looked like she should be ringing bells at Notre Dame.

"Ah yes, Lukas, but…uh, what is it?" The old woman bent down and studied Lukas's Lincoln Log building.

"It's the Pantheon!" whined Lukas. "You don't like it? WAHHHH!"

"No, no, no, no, no," the woman patted Lukas's head. "Of course is the Pantheon. It's just your dome doesn't…wait a minute, where did you hear about the Pantheon?"

"School." Lukas smiled innocently.

"You don't go to school."

Lukas ignored her and knocked down his Lincoln Log Pantheon and started to rebuild.

"_Avia_, go away so I can build!" Lukas shooed the woman away.

Suddenly a hologram of a man wrapped in a black cloak appeared in the air in front of Lukas.

_Have you done what I asked?_ The image asked.

"Uh huh." Lukas nodded. For a four-year-old, Lukas was pretty mature.

_Good, good._

"Metus, I don't like what you doing." Lukas looked down at the floor.

_What did you say?!_ The man in the cloak asked in a deadly cold voice.

"I just-I just don't—" Lukas stammered. He wanted to stop helping the scary man but didn't know how.

_You were destined for greatness a hundred years ago, Luke Castellan, but you failed to complete you fate fate, and I have given you another chance! Your filthy mortal mother feared losing you the most, and she died with her fears confirmed. You will too if you wish to feel my wrath! I am the most powerful of the gods! I can make your worst fears haunt you until you die!_

Suddenly, Lukas cowered in fear. His four-year-old mind could put words to the feeling, but he felt like a big meanie stole his Lincoln logs and wouldn't give them back until Lukas agreed to do whatever the bully ordered him to do. Lukas started crying. He curled into a ball and cried, "Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it! WAHHHHHH!"

"That will teach you not to cross me again, Luke Castellan." With that, the hooded figure disappeared and Lukas lay shivering on the floor. That was how the woman Lukas called '_avia_' found him.

"Oh, dear," the woman cradled Lukas in her arms. "It's okay, let it out. The gods will help you." The woman began singing a lullaby. Lukas understood the words of the song, but didn't understand that his _avia_ was singing in Latin.

"_Avia_, who was that scary man?" Lukas looked up at the woman.

"Shhh, knowledge is not always a good thing. You must be patient, young one. Your fate still awaits you."


	5. A Simple Day At School, Right? WRONG!

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO. If she did her name would be Mr Riordan and she'd release MoA on October 1 not October 2 because the first is her birthday and she already has a math test on that day and a piano lesson and she will need something to cheer her up…*ahem*. You don't care do you?**

**Thanks to the two people who reviewed, big shout out SHOUT OUT to them:  
Saving Grace - wait is it like a personal reason why you can't be a writer until thirteen? don't answer if you think i'm being too nosy. HASTA LA BYE-BYE!  
TheMysteriousHi - don't worry, your wrong. if you weren't, can you say BOOOORING! Avia means grandma even though the lady isn't his actually grandma even though he thinks that, but he will learn when he goes to camp. oh and btw i think lukas and luke should share some qualities (like blonde hair) but i'm going to make him have different color eyes, but you see what color later in the story. that's mostly because i have no clue...**

**only two people reviewed... this is me :(**

**A good book that people who like historical fiction (like me!) should read: the Luxe (its a series)**

**"I've never let my school interfere with my education." -Mark Twain**

:) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :) happy :( sad :)

Metus didn't visit Lukas for seven years. In those seven years, Lukas grew up as a normal boy with a normal life, but Lukas could never forget Metus. He could never forget the feeling Metus made him endure the last time he had seen him.

"Lukas," Mrs. Ordure, Lukas's sixth grade Spanish teacher snapped her fingers under his nose.

"Here!" Lukas jumped in his seat.

"We were not taking attendance, Lukas. Had you been paying attention, you would have noticed that the rest of the students in the class are completing unit four problems 1-20 in their workbooks." Mrs. Ordure sniffed as if there was dung under her nose. "I would've though you'd pay more attention in Spanish seeing as it is your worst subject."

"Lo siento, Señora Ordure," Lukas mumbled.

"I beg to differ." A small, fake cough came from a girl two seats away from him. "He doesn't have a worst subject. They're all equally bad."

"Look who's talkin', stupid blonde." Lukas retorted.

"You're blonde too,"

"Yeah, but I ain't stupid."

"Says the boy who made straight D's last year."

Lukas's chair screeched as the legs scraped across the floor as Lukas stood up defiantly.

Everyone in the class stared at Lukas as if he'd just dropped from the sky.

"What?" Lukas asked, utterly confused. Hadn't he had a reason to get up suddenly? Didn't they hear the girl insulting him?

"Sit down," ordered Mrs. Ordure.

Lukas sat down slowly, and glanced at the girl two seats away. A smile glinted in her eyes. Maybe the rest of the class hadn't heard the girl insulting him, but he was sure that she had and she knew it. He wondered how the girl could have spoken only to him.

"This time, I'm letting you off with a warning, but next time you disrupt my class, it will be off to detention with you!" Mrs. Ordure said angrily.

Lukas nodded and said, "_Gratias_."

Mrs. Ordure raised an eyebrow.

"Gracias." Lukas frowned. What the heck was '_Gratias_'? He made a mental note to look it up on Google Translate. **(*wink wink* if you don't already know)**

When bell rang to signal the end of the school day, Lukas walked out of the Spanish classroom half an hour later, his head spinning from formal commands, familiar commands, verb conjugations, irregular verbs, and words like sentirse and sentarse. Suddenly, the girl from his Spanish class slammed into his shoulder and she walked past. Her almost-white blonde hair flowed behind her as he whisked by and Lukas thought he saw a smile that revealed that she was up to something flash across her angelic face and in her emerald green eyes. Lukas shivered. He thought he had seen her before. Like an echo of the past.

"What is wrong with that girl?" Lukas asked his best friend, Tom. Tom had ordinary brown hair that hung at an ordinary length, brushing past his ordinary brown eyes. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened to Tom.

"What girl?" Tom asked, looked where Lukas was staring, and smiled knowingly. "Ah, you mean Tasha. As to what's wrong with her, well, nothing."

"Uh, why does she hate me so much?" Lukas asked. "I mean, she doesn't even know me."

"She doesn't hate you. She doesn't like you much either. She doesn't really care for any of the guys here. We're just not good enough for her." Tom muttered darkly. Lukas wondered when Tom had been rejected by Tasha.

Lukas didn't say anything after that. He was sure that Tasha had been insulting him in Spanish class, yet no one else seemed to hear. He knew for a fact that she had bumped into him in the hallway yet no one seemed to notice. He wondered if the girl was human. His imagination ran wild. He pictured her as a witch or a sorceress in disguise. Maybe she was a monster sent to annoy him. Maybe she—

"Dude. You okay?" Tom nudged Lukas.

"What? Yeah, I'm good." Lukas scolded himself for imagining that monsters and sorceresses could exist; yet, somehow he felt as if he truly believed in monsters and sorceresses and most importantly _gods_. This wasn't like little children who pretended to believe in Santa Clause so they could get better presents or in the Tooth Fairy so they could get free money. Lukas felt like these so-called 'myths' were absolutely and irrevocably true.

"Lukas. Hello? You're going to miss your bus!" Tom waved his hand in front of Lukas's face. Lukas blinked. Tom was right, he noticed. His bus driver was pulling shut the doors.

"Wait! Wait!" Lukas ran as fast as he could to the bus.

Gasping for breath, he walked slowly down the aisle, looking for a seat as the bus rumbled away from the school parking lot. He found an empty seat and sat down in relief; the only other available seat Lukas could see was the seat right next to Tasha.

Forty-five minutes later, the bus pulled to a stop in front of Lukas's house. An old, hunchbacked woman sat on the porch in an old wooden rocking chair. He could imagine _avia's_ rocking chair creaking slowly as it swung back and forth, back and forth.

"_Avia_!" Lukas hugged the woman.

"How was your day?"

"Fine." Lukas answered as he pushed open the front door. He walked in to be greeted by a warm smell of fresh baked break. He inhaled deeply and smiled.

After a snack of warm bread, hours of tortuous homework, a delicious dinner of barbeque ribs, and several more hours of tortuous homework, Lukas finally laid his head down on his pillow.

The little red number on Lukas's alarm clock read 11:54. Lukas yawned and minutes later he was snoring. That night, Lukas had the worst nightmare of his life.


	6. Assassins and Insults, What A Night!

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO...pjo...jo...o...**

**thanks to the people who reviewed:  
the electric phantom - well u gotta find out like everyone else  
Meepmeep123 - ikr? go the luxe!  
Reyna23 - you mean Metus?  
JoeiMarie - Castell...Castiel...I think I like Castell, sorry.  
vball17girl - nah your spanish is wayyyy better than lukas's**

**remember, reviews make me happy! trust me you don't want an unhappy author...I could punish your forever! Mwahahaha! Cliffies and depressing stuff and—you get my idea. jk I write whatever comes to my head. I gots no power over what's gonna happen, but please do review**

**"I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality." -Frida Kahlo**

◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊ diamonds ◊

As Luka's eyes closed, he drifted into a shadowy pavilion. Above Lukas's head was a huge dome, a Roman style, yet there were Greek columns. Weird.

A figure in a dark cloak stood hunched over, looking into the flames in the crackling fireplace. Lukas could see people screaming, crying, howling; faces that showed pure terror. He shivered.

Suddenly, the flames grew to ten feet tall and then died down again. The figure spoke in a rasping voice. "Have you done what I asked?"

A new face showed in the flames, the girl from his Spanish class. Lukas narrowed his eyes. She may look like an angel, but she was devil at heart.

"Yes sir," the girl's voice from the fire sounded fuzzy as if from a bad radio station. "If I may ask, what are we going to do about the boy? If he's smart, he'd know far too much."

"That's just it. He's not smart. He knows nothing." The figure laughed coldly. The girl smirked. Lukas huffed. Not smart, huh?

"Yes, but he still—" The girl started to say again, but the figure interrupted.

"I will deal with the boy. I know what his fears are." The figure paused for a second then said, "But you are right. We must keep an eye on him. If we succeed, he might come to his senses and join us. With the boy on our side, we will be unstoppable. I have new orders for you. Make sure he gets to Natalie. She will train him and if he doesn't come to his senses soon, well, Natalie is an assassin for a reason."

Lukas froze with fear. An _assassin_? Suddenly, the figure stood up with his nose tilted in the air as if he could smell Lukas's fear.

"The boy is here. Say no more. Carry out your orders." The figure sniffed again and his eyes locked straight onto Lukas as the girl in the flames disappeared. "You!" Suddenly, Lukas was overcome by the feeling of terrible loss. He felt like someone he loved had been taken from him, which was weird because he didn't love anyone. He recognized the feeling as the one he felt years ago; except seven years ago, his loss then had been much simpler.

"Didn't I teach you this lesson seven years ago? Don't. Mess. With. Me," snarled the figure, who Lukas now realized was Metus.

Metus suddenly charged at Lukas and Lukas's dream dissolved. Lukas sat straight up in bed, breathing hard. The alarm clock beeped quietly, yet the ordinary noise made Lukas jump.

Lukas showered, dressed, and stumbled down the stairs to eat breakfast. He had studied his expression in the mirror, trying to make himself look as if he had had a nice, peaceful dream, but failing.

"Are you okay?" _Avia_ asked and she set a plate of chocolate chip pancakes in front of Lukas.

"What? Oh, yeah. Just a rough night." Lukas stabbed a pancake with his fork and lifted it to his mouth.

Lukas ran down his driveway to the bus stop just as the bus pulled to a stop. He climbed the three stairs onto the bus, said good morning to the bus driver, and made his way down the aisle.

"Lukas! Here, sit here! Sit next to me!" A voice called from the back of the bus. The weird thing was that it was a girl's voice. No girl usually wanted to talk to Lukas let alone sit with him on the bus. Finally, curiosity won and Lukas made his way to the back of the bus. The only possible person to have called him over was Tasha the girl from his nightmare. Lukas swallowed. He had a feeling that his life was about to change for the worse.


	7. Demigod, Why Are You Tied To A Tree?

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Aww, I gotta type /HoO now because of Lupa. Poo me.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Poo you to everyone who didn't.  
Saving Grace - I've been writing stuff since august 5 2012 but I've been reading since...um...two years ago?  
Saving Grace - It's a rule on the site? how come I didn't know that? I seen authors who are like eleven or twelve. My friend had an account since before she turned thirteen.  
TheMysteriousHi - don't worry, I've got a crazy imagination...i doubt you'll be bored. :|  
Guest - wait what?  
Meepmeep123 - hey, did you know that if you give me a very very very good idea, you might earn a sneak peek? (that is if I find the time to write it) THAT GOES TO EVERYONE ELSE TO BTW!**

**today was my dad's birthday and we went out to eat so sorry for the extremely late update.**

**"That strong mother doesn't tell her cub, Son stay weak so the wolves can get you. She says, Toughen up, this is reality we are living in." -Lauryn Hill**

yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me! yay me!

Lukas realized he was in big trouble as he stood, tied to a tree, gagged and hands bound. The bus had broken down, probably Tasha's doing, and everyone had been forced by the driver to get off the bus. Tasha had then whipped out a knife bronze and held it at his throat as she forced Lukas into the woods and away from the rest of the bus.

"I'm afraid you're not going to school today," Tasha said silkily as she dragged the point of her knife across Lukas's cheek. He turned his gagged face away from her. "You're staying right here."

"Weh zatly esss heer?" Lukas said. He had meant to say 'where exactly is here?' but the rope in his mouth blocked his words.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Tasha said, but Lukas had a feeling that she knew exactly what he had tried to say. "You're going to stay right here until the wolves find you."

Lukas panicked as Tasha strode confidently away. _Wolves? I'm dead. So, so, so very dead,_ Lukas thought and groaned inwardly. There was so much he hadn't done in life. So much he wanted to do and might never get a chance.

Lukas stood at that tree for hours. He had seen the sun rise up to shine overhead, then fall gradually to set in the horizon. Darkness was falling and Lukas could hear crickets chirping, birds' songs disappearing, owls hooting. Lukas no longer felt fear; he couldn't tell how long he was going to be there, but Lukas felt at peace in the quietness of the night.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, breaking the peaceful silence, a howl ripped through the air. The wolves! Lukas tried to wriggle free of his bonds but if Tasha knew anything, it was how to tie a rope.

A huge wolf, maybe seven feet tall, burst from the shadows. A large pack of smaller wolves followed behind it. The wolf in the front had chocolate red fur and eyes silver as mist that glowed in the darkness. Lukas might've though it was beautiful had he not been paralyzed in fear.

The red wolf snarled at Lukas. _Demigod, why are you tied to a tree?_

Lukas blinked. Had he imagined that harsh, female voice?

_No, you did not. Why are you tied to a tree?_

He gulped and opened his mouth to explain why he was bound, but before he could, the female voice spoke again.

_I see. A girl with a knife tied you here and told you to stay until the 'wolves' come._

Lukas was officially freaked out. Could she read his mind?

_A mind is not a book. One cannot read a mind. The mind is complex and imperceptible. I can only hear your thoughts._

_So…you can read my mind._ Lukas thought. He could imagine the wolf sighing in exasperation. He smiled.

The red wolf gestured to one of the other wolves behind her. It came forward and dropped a small knife in front of Lukas, just out of reach. _Your first test. Free yourself. In the future, you will get into many sticky situations and you must be ready for anything. Expect the unexpected._

Lukas nodded. He knew the wolf had dropped it right out of his reach for a reason. It meant that he had to get that knife in a way he wouldn't think of originally. He thought for a second, then with his feet, pulled off one of his sneakers and the sock. With difficulty, he untied the shoe's laces, held one end between his first two toes, and kicked the shoe towards the knife. It landed just a bit farther away from Lukas than the knife. Perfect! Using the shoelace he held with his toes, he pulled the shoe and the knife closer and closer until he could reach it with his foot.

Using his toes again, he lifted the knife and cut the rope across his stomach that bound his arms. With his arms free, the rest was easy. He cut the ropes across his chest and in his mouth. Finally, he was free.

He considered for a spilt second running away from the wolves, then realized it was a stupid idea. For one, he'd crash into a tree or something, and the wolves would probably catch him and eat him.

_Correct. We would eat you._

Lukas blinked. He forgot the wolf could read his mind.

_Not your mind, your thoughts. Now put on your shoe. I am taking you to the Wolf House._


	8. Covered In Blood and Sweat

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Miss Author is very angry because her computer just shut down.**

**alwiegjaowreighaoweifj**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Poo you to everyone who didn't.  
vball17girl - hehe *facepalm* *facepalm* *facepalm* *facepalm*  
Saving Grace - okay  
Guest - its been like a century. maybe their grandkids  
Whitherfang - lukas  
Whitherfang - thanks  
Meepmeep123 - anything, i'll take any idea even if it is stupid**

**"If you live among wolves you have to act like a wolf." -Nikita Khrushchev**

alwiejgalkwehfaoiwegjlwkefjo wieghwkejfowieghaowifhjoqijp oejlfjkbnxcmvnkwjbfuehfoqiej flkjogiahweufhaowieufhawilue ghfaiwehpqiuehwfaljhfsldjhfa sdkgjalwkefho

Lukas was covered in sweat and blood. Lupa and her wolves had attacked him over and over again in practice for real battle. Lupa's claws and fangs had clawed and bitten Lukas until he was covered in bleeding scratches.

"Can I take a break? We've been at this for hours," complained Lukas.

_No. You can't take a break in the middle of a battle. If you do, well, better say goodbye to your life._

Lupa lunged again. Lukas winced as her claws scraped against his arm.

_Romans never show pain._

Lupa lunged again. Lukas tried not to wince as her teeth bit into his skin.

_Better._

Lupa lunged once again. This time, Lukas dove to the left. Lupa bit into air.

_Good._

Lukas yelled, held a rust knife above his head and charged at Lupa. Lupa easily dodged.

_That was a stupid move._

In frustration, Lukas dropped to the ground and swept his knife across the floor. Lupa dodged again, but this time it wasn't as easy for her.

_Very good. Now you can take a break. You deserve something to eat._ Lupa led Lukas over to where the rest of her wolf pack was eating.

Lukas looked down at the food. He tried not to gag. The wolves expected him to eat moose meat, uncooked moose meat.

_Enjoy. This is only meal you're getting today. Eat fast or there'll be nothing left._ Lupa looked at him. Lukas tried not to make a disgusted face. He pulled a piece of the left front leg and dangled it in front of his face. He pinched his nose, shoved it in his mouth, and swallowed with difficulty. It was absolutely disgusting, but he was hungry and the moose was filling. He reached for another piece, but found that all that was left were bones and skin.

"Aww, come on!" Lukas complained.

_I told you to eat fast. Wolves eat quickly, so you must learn to take what you need before someone else gets to it._ Lupa looked pointedly at him. Lukas sighed.

_Now, you must learn to find your way home. I will blindfold you and bring you ten miles from the Wolf House. You must sharpen your senses and find your way back within three hours._

"What if—"

_If you don't make it back within three hours, you must do it again until you do._

"Right." Lukas nodded. He closed his eyes as Lupa tied a bandana around his face.

_Come._ Lukas followed Lupa into the woods. After a while, they stopped. _Wait for ten seconds then untie your blindfold and find your way back._

Lukas nodded again. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten! Lukas fumbled with his bandana. He blinked as the sun shone into his eyes. Okay, it's about six in the evening, and he's facing the sun. He didn't turn around or anything before untying the bandana, so since he was facing west, he'd have to go east. Lukas spun around and started jogging.

He jogged for miles. After what he judged was ten miles, he stopped. Was he even going the right way? He looked up at the sun. It might've been eight thirty. He barely had any time left. He closed his eyes and thought. His gut was telling him to turn left. He spun left and sprinted. Time was running out.

He coughed and wheezed as he ran into the Wolf House and right into Lupa. He fur was surprisingly soft.

"W-what time is…is it?"

_You made it one time. Good job. I fully expected you to have to repeat this test at least twice._ Lukas smiled through his coughs.

_Nice work for today. Get to bed. Wolf life starts early. You don't want to be tired tomorrow._

Lupa led Lukas to a small corner in a small room in the Wolf House. Lukas hesitated, then lay down on the cold stone floor and drifted off to sleep.


	9. Lukas Takes A Bath In Pee

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Miss Author is counting down the days until MoA. Only 7 more days!**

**Thanks to those who reviewed. Poo you to those who could but didn't.  
vball17girl - who was ur game against anyway? and why did you lose so badly?  
Saving Grace - thanks  
Nightwolfxo - gracias**

**only three? come on people, you can do better than that! there were like two hundred views but only three reviews?**

**"I woke up one morning thinking about wolves and realized that wolf packs function as families. Everyone has a role, and if you act within the parameters of your role, the whole pack succeeds, and when that falls apart, so does the pack." -Jodi Picoult**

0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0 pickle 0

Lukas rubbed his eyes as he stepped outside of the Wolf House. Lupa was standing there waiting for him.

"So, what are we doing today?"

_You are learning how to disguise your scent. _

Lukas made a face. More moose meat?

_Last I checked, you decided that moose meat was better than nothing._ Lupa raised an eyebrow. Lukas frowned.

"So…how do I…um…disguise my scent?" Lukas said slowly.

_Do you know to what creatures your scent affects?_

"No,"

_You only smell to monsters and gods, and as you grow older, your scent gets stronger, so you must learn to disguise it._

"And, how do I do that?"

_Do you know how a wolf disguises its scent on a hunt?_

"Doesn't it—doesn't it, like, rub itself on something stinky, maybe?"

_Correct, but your wording is, ah, lame, but yes; a wolf covers itself in a pungent smell so the prey wouldn't detect the wolf scent._

"So, what? Am I supposed to take a bath in moose pee?"

_Close._

"What!?"

_There is a small puddle of elk urine a few miles south that you will soak yourself in. You will be given two minutes to completely cover yourself. Of course, it is impossible to mask completely a demigod scent, but a nice covering of a putrid smell can do wonders._

Lukas nodded and followed Lupa a few miles out into the woods to a small yellow puddle soaked into the roots of a tree.

_Your two minutes starts now._ Lupa stepped back a few paces and looked pointedly at Lukas.

Lukas tried not to puke. He tentatively reached his right hand into the yellow goo and smeared it onto his left arm. Holding his nose, he smeared it across his face, chest, and the rest of his body.

_Good, I expected you to puke, but too slow. It's been six minutes…_

"Well, it's only four minutes more than what you gave me."

_…six minutes more than what was given._

Lukas groaned. "I'm hopeless."

_You are only what you think you are._

"I think I am six feet tall and super athletic and smart." Lukas said. "Oh look, I'm none of those three."

_Do you really believe that you have those qualities?_

"No, not really." Lukas said thoughtfully.

_Then how could you have any of those qualities?_

Lukas huffed. He was tired of arguing and losing to a wolf

_Not only did you fail the argument, you failed the test._

Lukas groaned. "Does this mean I have to do it again?"

_Yes, but not now. Although I can still smell your scent, you cannot retry until the urine wears off._

Lukas groaned yet again.

An hour later, Lukas had to try disguising his stink again. After another hour, Lukas had to try again. Five tries later, Lukas successfully managed to mask most of his stink in less than two minutes.

_Well done. It only took you, um, six times._ Lupa raised an eyebrow. Lukas frowned. _Tomorrow, you should do this again._

"Again?" Lukas complained.

_Yes, the next day if necessary. Now go and eat; and remember, eat quickly. Oh, and when you finish practicing covering your scent, well, I don't suppose you're afraid of swords are you?_

Lukas walked over to the carcass on the floor. He grabbed an entire elk leg and pulled it into his corner to eat by himself. The raw meat was disgusting, but he swallowed each bite. After the last mouthful had crawled down his throat, Lukas settled down in his corner to sleep.


	10. Lukas Forges A Sword

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Woohoo! Few more chapters and Miss Author does not have to type /HoO anyomore!**

**Thanks to the two people who reviewed:  
vball17girl - ok, erm...good try?  
Meepmeep123 - I hope that that's a good thing...thanks**

**two reviews? That's even worse than last chapter. seriously people, if this story is suckish, then tell me so I can just can it and start a new story.**

**"Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother." -Khalil Gribran**

:P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah :P blah

Lukas woke up to the howling of wolves. Lupa and her wolves were howling at the top of their lungs.

Lukas rushed out of the Wolf House with his hands clamped out over his ears.

"What is that _noise_!?" Lukas shouted.

_We are howling. Half of the pack is leaving today._

"Leaving?"

_Yes. You have one more task to complete before you will be ready to complete your journey to camp._

"Camp?"

_Yes._

"Ok, so…what's that last task?"

_Well, since you have mastered disguising your scent, I think you are ready to try your hand at a real weapon._

"Real weapon…as in like a sword?"

_Correct. You will first learn to forge you weapon. Come with me._

Lukas followed Lupa back into the Wolf House and to a small forge. He coughed and waved his hand in front of his face.

_Welcome to the forge. First, you must choose your material._ Lupa gestured to a wall in the forge.

Lukas walked down the long wall and studied the materials. There were so many to choose from. After what seemed like an hour to Lupa, Lukas finally narrowed his choices to two materials, steel and imperial gold.

_You know, you can choose two materials._

"Really?" Lukas asked excitedly. "Then, I choose steel and imperial gold."

_Terrific. Now you must choose a style._ Lupa gestured to a carving on a stone wall with so many sword designs that Lukas's eyes hurt just trying to count them.

Lukas stared at each style, trying to find the right one. He finally settled on a double-edged sword. It seemed to nudge a memory that Lukas just couldn't remember.

"This one," Lukas said, pointing to the carving.

_Curious. Very curious._

"Sorry, but what's curious?"

_What? Oh, nothing._ Lukas looked at Lupa like she was crazy, but eventually decided she was sane, well as sane as a wolf goddess could get.

"So, how am I supposed to forge a sword?"

_Here is a wooden mold. You take the metal and heat it in the fire over there._ Lupa gestured with her paw. _Then, you pour the liquid into the mold and let it harden. After the metal cools, pull it from the mold by sawing off the wood. Use this machine here to sharpen the sword as sharp as possible._ Lupa set her paw on what looked like a metal spinning wheel to Lukas.

_Get started. When you're done, find the pack and something to eat._ With that, Lupa walked out of the forge.

Lukas watched dumbfounded as Lupa walked away. "What the heck?"

Lukas shrugged and pulled a small block of steel and a small block of imperial gold off a shelf in the wall. He placed them in the fire and waited until they melted.

He watched the fire's shadows dance on the wall. They reminded him of a bonfire. A purple bonfire! Yes, that's it. But why would a bonfire be purple? He doubled over in pain. It felt as if his head was splitting open. He groaned. It was like trying to remember something that never happened. He felt like the memory was important, but he couldn't remember.

Suddenly, the fire surged upwards. Lukas stumbled back. He studied the melted metal. The two metals had melted into each other. Oops. Oh well, too late to go back now.

Lukas carefully poured the melted metal into the mold and waited for it to cool. He lay back into his chair and stared at the wall, thinking about purple bonfires.

Hours later, Lukas glanced at the mold and found that the metals had long cooled. His stomach grumbled and he scolded himself for not tending to the mold. He used a saw to pry the wood off the sword and held the sword up in front of his face. The sword was not sharp enough to cut him yet, and the mixed metals looked like marble.

"Awesome," he muttered. He walked over to the metal spinning wheel, sat down, pressed the foot pedal, and touched the blade to the spinning part. It was like a wood sander, but for sharpening metals instead of sanding wood.

When Lukas decided that the blade was sharp enough on both sides, he pulled a piece of wood from another shelf and with a small knife he found on a table carved the piece of wood into a lopsided sheath.

Grinning, Lukas sheathed his new sword and marched out of the small forge to find Lupa.

_Your sheath is lopsided._

"I know," Lukas said cheerfully. "So, what's for food?"

_Moose. There's not much left, so hurry._

Lukas hurried over to the group of wolves. He frowned then said, "You mean, there's none left."

_Oh, well then you should have forged your sword more quickly. Goodnight._ Lukas made a face at Lupa's retreating back. He sighed, and then made his way over to his small corner. He lay down with his hand over his sword. He was asleep in no time.

~oOo~

Lukas woke to a full moon. He guessed it was around midnight.

_Ah, you're awake._

"Barely," Lukas yawned. He rubbed his eyes.

_It must be a sign. You must leave._

"Leave?" Lukas asked groggily. "You mean, like in the morning?"

_No, I mean right now._

"But I haven't even learned how to use my sword yet," complained Lukas.

_Romans never complain nor whine. Now, you must head south and find Camp Jupiter. You are on your own from now on. Remember what you learned and sharpen your senses. You must leave now. It cannot wait. Good luck._

Lupa pushed Lukas out of the Wolf House and into the deep unknown.


	11. An Assassin In The Woods

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Miss Author is going to type /HoO just to be on the safe side.**

**I am sooooooo stressed right now. I have this gigantic essay due like tmrw and i completely messed up the first paragraph and i still have to play piano and its already like 10 something and i still have math homework and my brain feels like its going to explode. I was half crying in stress like an hour ago. My hair is going to turn gray and fall out before I'm twenty if this stress continues. Probably not, but still...**

**thanks to those who reviewed:  
ZANEdaughterofZEUS - idk and idc right now sorry for my bad mood but just read the rant up there ^^  
Meepmeep123 - ok yay  
Saving Grace - thanks  
vball17girl - thanks  
Reyna23 - i have no idea what i'd write the sequel about  
PPP4eva - thansk**

**"The stress is killing me." -pipthepenguin**

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Lukas had no idea where he was going. He didn't realize this was a bad thing until he was lost. Banging his head against a tree, he scolded himself for not paying attention to where he was going.

Pressing his hands against his head, he tried to sharpen his senses like Lupa told him to and tried to find the right way to go. His gut was telling him to turn around and walk in the direction he had come from. Something was guiding him the opposite way.

Lukas spun around and started trotting in the opposite direction. His feet were killing him, he stomach was growling like there was no tomorrow, and his eyelids were drooping from fatigue. He didn't even notice a small shadow following him until it spoke to him.

"You're going the wrong way," a girl's voice startled Lukas out of his misery. He looked around in surprise for the owner of the voice. He saw a girl with blonde hair and emerald green eyes leaning against a tree like she owned the world.

"YOU!" Lukas unsheathed his new sword and charged at her. She sidestepped easily.

"I haven't met you in my life." The girl spoke with such certainty that Lukas wanted to believe her.

"Uh huh. Sure, you weren't the girl who kidnapped me and tied me down for wolves to find me." Lukas rolled his eyes.

"Nope, not me." The girl unsheathed a golden dagger and started to file her nails with it. Lukas blinked. Was she threatening him?

"You can't fool me. I know you're lying." Lukas spat.

"I have never seen you in my life." The girl repeated. "Never, ever." . The girl had such a sweet voice that he found himself believing every word coming from her perfect mouth.

"Then who are you and why are you here?" Lukas asked in confusion. The girl had such a sweet voice that he found himself believing every word coming from her perfect mouth.

"I am Natalie. I am here to help you." Natalie sauntered over to where Lukas was standing.

"Natalie?" Lukas knew he had heard that name before. But where? Suddenly, it clicked in his mind. That dream. _Make sure he gets to Natalie. She will train him and if he doesn't come to his senses soon, well, Natalie is an assassin for a reason._ This girl was the assassin? "You!"

"Not again," Natalie sighed. "I thought we went over this. I. Am. Not. The. Girl. Who. Kidnapped. You."

"No, not that! You're the assassin." Lukas pointed at her.

"Assassin? Oh, no. I am here to help you." Natalie had reached him now and was dragging the tip of her finger across his chest.

"I don't believe you."

"I am just here to offer some advice. Come with me. I'll get you to your destination in no time."

"I will never come with you." Lukas backed away from the girl.

"Then I guess we will have to do this the hard way." The girl lunged forward and brought the hilt of her dagger to Lukas's temple and knocked him out. She brushed off her hands and sheathed her dagger.

"Much better." Natalie smiled slyly.


	12. A Car Crash And A Crazy Explanation

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. MIss Author does not have enough time to type anything else.**

**Thx to da ppl who reviewed:  
Marindaa- mab ur opinion on the girl will change. of course it might not. is she good? is she bad? you'll have to wait and see.  
skoolsux311 - thx  
Reyna23 - eh, idk mab  
vball17girl - no, no, and no.  
Meepmeep123 - yeah, even more here**

**sorry if this seems rushed to you, but I needed a way to get the main badguy and his plans out there so you won't be confused anymore. Of course this could just confuse you more, but keep reading. it'll clear up.**

**"Before you judge people, judge yourself." – Zayn Malik**

1

When Lukas opened his eyes, he was bound in the trunk of a car. A piece of silver duct tape was stuck over his mouth, a bandana was tied around his head, and there was nothing holding him to the trunk as it bumped its way along the road. Lukas could faintly hear a girl's voice talking on the phone. He winced as the car hit a pothole and his knee crashed into the side of the truck. That'd leave a huge bruise.

"The boy is in the back, yes," the girl spoke into her phone. "I feel bad about kidnapping him. I mean, yes, I know its necessary, but did I really have to knock him out?" Lukas could hear the shouting of the person Natalie was speaking to all the way in the trunk.

"Gods, you don't have to shout about it," Natalie muttered. Lukas could imagine her holding the phone away from her face. "Bet if the boy was awake, he could've heard you."

_Too right, I can_, thought Lukas.

"I'm going to get there when I get there," Natalie said stiffly.

Lukas wondered where Natalie was taking him.

"Almost. I just have to—AHH!" The car screeched to sudden stop and Lukas's head slammed into the back of the trunk. The last thing he heard was a honk, a crash, and a few seconds later a faint siren in the distance. Then, he blacked out.

~oOo~

Lukas woke up in a white hospital gown. Tubes connected from his body to machines that were beeping periodically. He groaned.

"Are you okay, son?" A nurse approached Lukas's bed. "You gave us quite a scare. I mean riding in the front seat of a car with out a seat belt…well, I bet you've learned your lesson."

"What?" Lukas asked groggily. "I wasn't in the front seat. I was in the trunk."

"Oh, no. You must be confused. You're sister said that you were sitting in the front seat next to her when the car crashed."

"I don't have a sister," Lukas muttered.

"Ah, slight amnesia. Don't worry, your memories with come back will rest." The nurse patted his hand. "Speaking of which, would you like your sister to visit? She of course was wearing a seat belt and the crash inflicted much more damage on you than on her."

"I don't care," Lukas groaned.

"Okay, I'll send her right in." The nurse walked out of the small room to fetch Lukas's 'sister'. Lukas was confused. What was going on?

The nurse pushed open the door and Natalie walked into the room.

She turned to the nurse and asked innocently, "Can my brother and I be left alone for a while?"

"Of course." The nurse shut the door and Lukas listened to her fading footsteps.

"What happened?" Lukas shot his question at Natalie.

"Look, I'm sorry." Natalie's expression was broken.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for kidnapping you. I'm sorry for crashing the car. I'm sorry for lying. I will be even sorrier when Metus gets to me. Now be quite and listen, I have little time to explain." A sense of urgency lingered in her voice

"I think the crash messed up your brain. Just a day ago you were threatening me and kidnapping me."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"You're not making any sense."

"I know I'm not."

"What?" Natalie was messing with his mind. That was it. There was no other explanation Lukas could think of. He doubted that she was really sorry.

"Just be quiet and listen. My parents were the first followers of Metus."

"Okay, so they're bad."

"Oh, no. They believed that Metus could create a better life for everyone. Metus is the god of fear. He can make a person's worst fear come true in an illusion so real that the person could go mad. He can also take away a person's worst fear."

Lukas frowned. That couldn't be possible.

"For example, if my greatest fear was that I'd never live up to my ancestor's standards, he'd create enough opportunities that I couldn't fail. Or if my greatest fear was a fear of spiders, then he could place a spell on me that would repel spiders and the spiders would never bother me again."

"That's dumb. People need fear, they'd be too confident if they didn't."

"No, it's not dumb, and my parents knew it. They knew Metus could create a peaceful world where no one was afraid."

"I still think he's stupid."

Natalie sighed.

"Look, just be silent. We're running out of time. I don't believe that Metus wants to create a peaceful world. Just the opposite, actually. I think he wants to create a world where people's fears haunt them forever. Fear reigning, chaos everywhere, people screaming, everyone dying. His followers don't realize it, but he is deceiving them. I want Metus to stop, but I can't dishonor my family. My grandparents were the greatest heroes of their time, and their daughter, my mother, was just as heroic. My father strongly believes that my sister and I can help Metus rise to full power. He believes that to be as great as my mother and grandparents, I have to help Metus rise, but as I said before, I don't trust him."

Natalie paused for a second, and then said, "Do _you_ trust me?"

"No, I don't believe one word you've said. Now please leave me alone."

Natalie left the room sighing and saying, "Well, I tried."

Lukas didn't believe her phony bologna story and he sure didn't need her in his life. He closed his eyes and tried to forget about the words 'fear reigning, chaos everywhere, people screaming, everyone dying'. It seemed like a world he didn't even want to imagine. His main focus was getting to camp like Lupa had said, and trying to live a normal demigod life.

Lukas didn't realize that putting Natalie's story out of his mind was the worst thing he could have done. He didn't realize that it would come back and bite him, and bite him hard.


	13. Back On His Feet

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO or Lucky Charms or HP. You'll understand after you read the chapter.**

**thx to the ppl who reviewed:  
TheMysteriousHi - maybe, maybe not you'll have to wait and see  
the electric phantom - uh, thanks  
Saving Grace - nutty nut nut bar...hehe thats kinda funny...nutty nut nut bar nutty nut nut bar  
Tala Rider - ok, thanks? I think...  
skoolsux311 - maybe, mabey not you'll have to wait and see too. btw no, annabeth and percy did not help metus. just their daughter's hubby. btw btw your penname is cool beans**

**"Our band will never change, we will always be five singing idiots." -Niall Horan**

When Lukas had almost healed completely, he decided his main goal was to find the camp that Lupa and Natalie kept talking about. He assumed that that was his destination.

"Excuse me, but what city is this?" Lukas asked the nurse as she came into the hospital room with Lukas's breakfast.

"Frisco, of course," the nurse answered as she set down the breakfast tray on Lukas's lap. The plate was piled high with pancakes, bacon, and eggs. There was also a small bowl of Lucky Charms and a carton of 2% milk.

"Excuse me?" Lukas had no idea was 'Frisco' meant.

"San Francisco, silly," the nurse laughed. "Don't worry, even if you don't know your way around the city, your sister left a bus pass for you and a set of directions, but they're in Latin, so I hope you can read Latin."

"Oh. Ok, thanks. Could you perhaps bring the directions and bus pass to me later?"

"Sure, just pull the cord when you're done with your breakfast and I'll bring the directions and bus pass."

"Ok, thanks." The nurse nodded in response and shut the door on her way out. Lukas poured the milk from the carton into the bowl of Lucky Charms. He picked out the marshmallows and left the cereal in the milk. The sugar melting on his tongue, Lukas wondered whether he should use Natalie's directions. Something definitely seemed fishy with her sudden explanation, but his gut was telling him to follow the directions and just get to camp as soon as possible. It wouldn't be long until some monster caught a whiff of his demigod stink and came after him.

Shoveling eggs, bacon, and bits of pancake into his mouth, Lukas scraped the plate clean. After he swallowed the last bite, Lukas yanked the red cord that said 'nurse' and pulled himself out of bed.

Lukas had just slipped his t-shirt on, buttoned his jeans, and laced his sneakers when the nurse walked in the room.

"Oh, you're leaving already?" the nurse asked in a small voice.

"Uh huh. Do you have the directions and bus pass?" Lukas wrapped a thin jacket around his body.

"Yes, they're right here. Are you sure you don't need to stay a while more? You aren't completely healed yet."

"Yes, I am sure." Lukas nodded.

"Well, then if you're sure…" the nurse said uncertainly. "Here's the bus pass. It'll work for most public buses in the San Francisco and Alameda areas." The nurse held out a small piece of plastic like a credit card. "Here is the set of directions your sister left. I hope you can read it, and good luck on your journey. Oh, you need to check out in the front desk before you leave."

"Thank you." Lukas smiled, took a sheet of notebook paper and a sheet of cream white paper from the nurse, and the nurse walked away.

Glancing down at the paper, he found he could read Latin. At least as well as he could read English, which wasn't that well. Natalie's directions on the lined notebook paper were for him to head east to Oakland Hills. She said that his destination was just north of Oakland Hills and that he'd be able to find it by following his gut.

Lukas folded the notebook paper and slipped it into his pocket. He looked at the cream white paper. Not only was the script in English, but it was also written in loopy, fancy cursive writing. There was no way that he could read it, but whatever was written looked like a letter to Lukas. He shrugged and stuck that in his pocket as well.

Just remembering his sword, Lukas practically tore apart the hospital room looking for it. No, it wasn't in any of the store closets. No, it wasn't under the sink. Lukas started to panic. He choked on air as he ran around trying to find his sword.

Lukas let out a sigh of relief as he pulled his sword from under the bed. A small note was attached. It said, _Just in case_. Lukas smiled.

Wishing he had a Remembrall **(A/N if you don't know what that is, shame on you)**, Lukas tried to think if he had forgotten anything.

Deciding he hadn't, Lukas opened the heavy wooden door out of the hospital room. He was sad to be leaving the place; he had spent so much time in that bed, but he was also glad to never have to come back.

Lukas poked the down button on the wall next to the elevator. He watched the little light at the top move from five to six to seven to eight. Ding! The elevator doors slid open and Lukas stepped inside. He nodded to the old man also in the elevator and pressed the Ground Floor button.

Lukas stepped up to the front desk and the lady at standing behind it glared at him.

"Checking out?" she asked in an extremely nasal voice.

"Yes ma'am." Lukas nodded.

"Room number?"

"818."

"Okay, have a nice day." The lady turned away and said no more. Lukas made a face at her back before leaving.

He whirled around in the spinning door a few times before stepping outside into the fresh air. Taking a deep breath, Lukas took his first step in the direction of a new home.


	14. Welcome To Camp Jupiter

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Miss Author does not own The Suite Life On Deck.**

**Yay! today is my b-day partay! whoop-whoop!**

**but...one of my friends isn't coming *pointed glare at potatofairy* jk i know you have family obligations.**

**thanks to the two people who reviewed:  
TheMysteriousHi - vibe vibe vibe vibe vibe vibe vibe vibe vibe vibe  
Tala Rider/wapple - wateva**

**"Whenever I'm sad I just imagine if babies were born with mustaches." -Liam Payne**

3.1415926535897932384626433832 795028841971693993751058209 7494459230781640628620899862 803482534211706798214808651 3282306647093844

Lukas was sweating. Although it was fall and the weather was supposed to be moderately cool, the bus lacked air conditioning and the sun beat down through the windows onto Lukas. He stared out at the landscape passing by. Leaves were red and orange and fell to the ground every so often. The dead leaves created a blanket over the grass.

This was the third bus since Lukas had left the hospital. The first one had taken him from San Francisco to Oakland. The second had taken him northeast from Oakland towards Berkeley. Lukas was sitting on the third bus. It would take him to his destination. All he had to do was stop the driver.

Lukas closed his eyes. He could feel that they were getting close. They were driving on a small highway. Oakland Hills were on his leftish backish and Berkeley Hills were in front of him. A mountain sat in the distance.

The bus passed through a tunnel. The small lights lit up the tunnel.

"Stop!" Lukas said suddenly. His senses were tingling. He was here.

"What!" The bus driver shouted and slammed on the breaks. Thank the gods there were no cars behind them. Several of the other people on the bus screamed and clutched at their hearts.

"Jesus Christ, child. What the heck has gotten into you?" the bus driver gasped.

"I'm sorry, but…heh…this is my stop?" Lukas knew he shouldn't have scared everyone like that, but he was here. He was finally here.

The bus driver shook his head in disgust and opened the door. Lukas hopped down the stairs and into the tunnel.

"Bye," Lukas called but the driver had already slammed the door shut and sped away. He shrugged. He started walking in the direction the bus had come from. He couldn't stand the excitement. He started power walking, then jogging, and then running. He came upon a small maintenance tunnel. There were two people standing guard by the tunnel. They looked…really weird. They had on a mix of Roman armor, jeans, and purple t-shirts. Both were holding spears and had swords hanging at their waists. Lukas had arrived. This was the entrance to camp.

"Who are you?" the guard on the right pointed his spear at Lukas.

"I-I am Lukas Castell. I was sent here by Lupa." Lukas stammered.

The guard lifted his spear and nodded to the other guard. The other guard took off her plumed helmet and shook out her dark hair. She looked around Lukas's age. _Whoa,_ was all Lukas could think. It must have shown on his face because her blue eyes glared at Lukas as if she'd have liked nothing more than to stomp on his face.

"Sorry," Lukas muttered.

"You should be," the girl muttered. Then she forced a smile and said, "Come with me."

Lukas followed the girl as she led him down through the maintenance tunnel. "So, what's your name?"

"Why do you care?" the girl spat.

"Why won't you tell me your name?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because I want to know what to call you when I talk to you."

"When you talk to me? There will be no 'when you talk to me'. You won't talk to me."

"Sure I will, why wouldn't I?"

"Because I won't let you."

"Why not?"

"Because you're annoying."

"Hey!"

"Hay is for horses."

"But—"

"Butts are for saddles." Suddenly the girl stopped walking. Lukas slammed into her back. "We're here. I suppose I must say it…welcome to Camp Jupiter."


	15. You Smell Like A Girl

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**MOA IS COMING OUT IN TWO DAYS!**

**as to more important news...MY BIRTHDAY IS TOMORROW! WOOHOO!**

**thanks to those who reviewed:  
skoolsux311 - tell me, would a guy be obsessed with one direction and put their quotes in the A/N? hmm didn't think so. wait, ur profile thingy says u live in china, how is your english so good?  
Saving Grace - romans are da best.  
Saving Grace - neville is one of my fav characters in hp. he's so clueless all the time. "The only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten."  
TheMysteriousHi - thalia, yes. Mr D, not so much  
the electric phantom - read the story to find out**

**"I broke a pencil in half! hahaha!" -Louis**

_lets go crazy crazy crazy till we see the sun i know we only met but let's pretend it's love and never never never stop for anyone tonight let's get some and live while we're young_

Lukas blinked as a teddy bear guts exploded in his face. As Lukas spat stuffing out of his mouth, the boy wielding the knife that ended the teddy bear's life smiled at him and said, "Good news! You may join the legion. You shall be assigned a cohort this evening."

"This evening?" Lukas asked. "What's going on this evening?"

"Evening muster. Happens every day," the augur said as he wiped stuffing off the altar at the statue of Jupiter's foot. High above even the statue's head sparkled a huge golden dome.

"Oh. Okay, then." Lukas turned back to the girl who had led him to Jupiter's temple. "So, now what?"

"Now you go take a bath. You smell like a sewer." The girl wrinkled her nose.

"How would you know what a sewer smells like?"

"Trust me, you smell like a sewer."

Suddenly self-conscious, Lukas sniffed his shoulder. The girl almost smiled. Glad to know she was human.

Still self-conscious, Lukas followed the girl out of the temple and to a huge building. Campers were running in and out laughing and carrying towels and bathing suits.

"This is the bathhouse?" Lukas asked with his jaw on the floor.

"Course. We're Romans. Did you think we had stupid shower houses like the Greeks?" The girl raised an eyebrow. "By the way you should shut your mouth. You look like a codfish." Lukas made a face at her.

"Wait a second. Greeks?" Something seemed to ring a bell in his head.

"Yeah. They're stupid. They think they're so awesome. So disorganized, no leadership. And segregated by godly parent. They're stupid."

"Hey, wait a second. They can't be all bad? Right?" For some reason, Lukas felt like he needed to defend the Greeks.

"Well…I guess…not really…hmm, no." The girl shook her head. Lukas rolled his eyes.

"I think you're prejudiced." Lukas said.

"And I think you're stupid." The girl retorted. Lukas shot an offended look at her, but she simply continued. "Now go take a shower."

Lukas made a face at her again and headed off to his shower. The hot water felt like heaven raining down on him. Not really paying attention to what bottles he was pouring onto his hair, it wasn't until after he rinsed his hair that he realized that he had used strawberry scented shampoo and conditioner. _Aww, great. Now I smell like a girl._ Lukas thought as he hit himself in the forehead.

Paying a little more attention to the soap he used, the finished his shower and dressed in a purple t-shirt and jeans.

On his way out of the bathhouse, he bumped into the girl from earlier.

She sniffed once then said, "You smell like a girl."

"Well nice to see you too." Lukas said trying not to look embarrassed.

"Whatever," the girl rolled her eyes. "Anyway, um, it's time for dinner."

"Great! What are we having?" Lukas said, cheered up instantly.

"Gods, you have a lot to learn."

"What?"

"Nothing. Come on, I guess I am responsible for showing you the ropes until you're sorted into your cohort. Then someone else can have the job." The girl led Lukas into the mess hall.

"Wow." Lukas stared at the mess hall. It was set up with low tables and comfortable couches with purple cushions. Food was flying around; pizzas were zooming to this table, cheeseburgers were soaring to that table. If Lukas looked hard enough, he could just make out wind spirits carrying the food to and from tables.

Lukas turned to say something to the girl but she had already left to sit with her friends. Feeling stupid, Lukas walked over the girl's table and tapped the girl on her shoulder. She looked back at him.

"Ooh, who's your friend, Tally?" One of the girls sitting at the table winked at Lukas. Suddenly he was very glad that he had taken a shower.

"Oh, so you're name's Tally. Nice to meet you, Tally." Lukas smiled triumphantly.

"Gasp! You didn't even tell him your name?" the first girl asked, her eyes wide.

"Neither have you," a small, Chinese girl pointed out.

"My name is Ellie," the girl said with a small harrumph. "What's your name?"

"I'm Lukas." Lukas turned to Tally. "So, you want to introduce me to all your friends?"

Tally sighed then said, "This is Ellie, Bo, Liana, Atlanta, Federico, Zack, and Lance."

Liana and Federico both had curly brown hair and mischievous eyes. Federico couldn't seem to sit still. He kept drumming his fingers on the table, unbuttoning and buttoning the first button on his jacket, and combing through his hair. Liana grinned at Lukas like she had stuck a whoopee cushion under the couch cushions.

Ellie was pretty, no doubt about that. With her chin length chocolate brown hair, her color changing eyes, and her petite figure, she looked like she had stepped off a fashion magazine cover. Lukas couldn't help but compare her to Tally's dark, almost black, hair and electric blue eyes.

Bo was definitely Chinese. Her silky black hair shone like the ocean on a moonless night. The girl was tiny. She was skinny enough to fit into a keyhole and Lukas guessed she was less than four five and she looked about as old as Lukas. **(A/N for those people in countries other than America, four five is equivalent to 1.3 meters. that's a rounded estimate btw)**

Atlanta had black hair like Bo and Tally, but she had green eyes. There was something about her eyes that scared Lukas. It was like she was looking into his mind and reading every detail, every thought that had ever passed through his mind.

Zack had brown hair like Ellie but his swept over his eyes. Lukas had always wanted hair like that. He noticed girls' eyes watching as Zack flipped his hair out of his eyes and cheeks blushing as Zack winked at a few of them.

Lance had jet-black hair, pale white skin, and he wore completely black clothes. Lukas thought he looked like an Oreo. He was on the skinny side, but the look suited him. On his finger was a skull ring. The thing gave Lukas chills.

Lukas sat down at the table next to Zack.

"I don't suppose Tally gave you a warm welcome." Zack grinned.

"Heck, no. She told me I smelled like a sewer." Lukas grimaced.

"Well, you'll get used to it. That's Tally for ya." Zack shrugged and went back to his dinner.

A wind spirit whisked by and set a plate of barbeque ribs in front of Lukas. He dug in, already feeling at home.

_lets go crazy crazy crazy till we see the sun i know we only met but let's pretend it's love and never never never stop for anyone tonight let's get some and live while we're young_

**review if you can guess whose grandchildren is who. :)**


	16. Shunned

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! I AM OFFICIALLY FOUTEEN! WOOHOO!**

**thanks to everyone who reviewed:  
Saving Grace - the second part is mostly right. leo and piper weren't a couple though. they got married to some other ppl.  
Meepmeep123 - right! except its not the stolls, their grandchildren are at chb. its leo's. leo's grandkis are spread bt both greek and roman like perabeth and piper's grandkids.  
Nightwolfxo - it came out in itunes today. on my b-day! that's like the best present i could've gotten!  
Reading Lyka Boss - um, kinda because I was asking bout like the PJO/HoO characters, like percy jason annabeth reyna etc etc. cuz this is a hundred years into the future but you got most of the gods right  
Tala Rider/wapple - too much like jason/percy huh? *raises eyebrow skeptically cuz Miss Author knows something wapple doesn't*  
PurpleQueen981 - remember, luke spent decades in the underworld waiting in line for his soul to be judged. so its a hundred years into the future from after the Giant War so percy is loooooooooooooong dead. don't worry, he lived a nice full life though.**

**"Truth is, I don't mind getting a black eye or a broken arm for a girl as long as she is there to kiss it after." -Harry Styles**

_Now I'm climbing the walls But you don't notice at all That I'm going out of my mind All day and all night. Some things gotta give now Cause I'm dying just to know your name..._

Lukas's eyes were as big as golf balls. Other than that, nothing else showed how intimidated by the entire legion he was inside The first four cohorts stood in rows in front of their barracks on either side of the Via Praetoria, the main road into camp. It ran between the barracks and straight to the camp headquarters. The Fifth Cohort assembled at the at the very end, in the front of the _principia_, since their barracks were tucked in the back next to the stables and the compost heap. The _principia_ worked as Camp Headquarters, the praetors' office, the treasury for the Imperial Gold weapons, and an assortment of shrines.

The campers were dressed for war. Their polished armor shinned over purple camp t-shirts and jeans. In front of the legionnaires stood their red and gold shields, each the size of a refrigerator door, creating an impenetrable wall. Every legionnaire carried a harpoon like spear called a _pilum_, a _gladius_, a dagger and about a hundred pounds of other equipment.

At the head of each cohort stood two campers, each with red plumed centurions' helmets and a dozen medals pinned to their chests. Tally stood at the front of the Fifth Cohort. Lukas tried not to stare at her.

"Do you see Tally and that other dude up there?" Zack asked nodding to Tally.

"Do I!" muttered Lukas under his breath. "How could I not?"

"Yeah. They're the centurions for the Fifth. Pride of the camp. The Fifth used to be the worst, but ever since Tally's and Atlanta's grandfathers, Jason and Percy, and Bo's grandparents, Frank and Hazel, were all in the Fifth, their reputation grew 'till it was the best in the camp." Zack said.

"What're you in?" Lukas glanced at Zack.

"First Cohort," Zack said shortly and scowled at the Fifth. "Second place is like…first place for losers."

Lukas laughed but the guy in the purple cape sitting on a pegasus on his other side glared at him. He tried to turn the laugh into a cough. Tally raised an eyebrow at him. He blushed.

"Wait, Zack, why are you even up here in front of the Legion?" Lukas whispered. "Shouldn't you be with your cohort?"

"No, someone had to stand up here with you. It should've been Tally, she was the one who found you, but she didn't want to."

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better." Lukas said sarcastically.

Zack snickered. The two of them received dirty looks from the praetor again.

"Colors!" the augur from Jupiter's temple shouted.

"That's Nathan. His ancestor was Octavian. Like the real Octavian, not the idiot who was augur a hundred years ago, though I suppose he was his ancestor, too." Zack whispered.

"Who?" Lukas asked out of the corner of his mouth.

"Nevermind."

The standard-bearers stepped forward. They wore lion-skin capes and held poles decorated with each cohort's emblems. The last to present his standard held a long pole with a golden eagle at the top. The boy puffed out his chest like his job was the most honorable in the camp. Lukas couldn't see what was so important about a stick with an eagle stuck to the top.

"That's Dylan. His job is the most honorable in the camp." Zack whispered. Lukas nodded.

The boy giving Zack and Lukas dirty looks and a girl dressed in a similar purple cape sat on their pegasi.

"They're the praetors. Eileen and Kyle." Zack explained. Lukas nodded again.

"Romans!" Kyle announced. He then pointed at Lukas. "As you can see, Lukas Castell seeks to join the legion. What do the auguries say?"

"I have read the entrails!" Nathan shouted. "The auguries are favorable. He is qualified to serve!"

The campers gave a shout: "_Ave!_" Somehow, Lukas understood. _Hail!_

The five senior officers stepped forward. As the most senior centurion, Tally turned towards Lukas.

"Recruit," she asked, "do you have credentials? Letters of reference?"

Lukas frowned. He thought for a second, then remembered the cream white paper Natalie had given him. He dug in his jeans pocket and remarkably the paper was still there. The pulled it out and handed it to Tally.

Tally read over the fancy script, her eyes widening with each sentence.

"Holy Jupiter," she murmured. She quickly gave the praetors the letter. The other campers stared at them, looks of confusion crossed their faces.

Eileen pursed her lips, her expression tightening as she read whatever horrors were written in that letter.

"Wow. Um, okay." Eileen muttered. She glanced at Kyle then said, "You have been assigned to the Fifth cohort."

"The Fifth?" Zack complained softly. "Aww, come on."

Tally blinked in confusion. Lukas guessed she was thinking, _No, not my cohort!_ Then she sighed and she and the guy standing next to her pounded their shields against the ground. The rest of the cohort followed their example.

"My cohort has spoken," Tally grimaced. "We accept the recruit."

Eileen looked at Lukas. "Congratulations, Lukas. You stand on _probatio_." She hung a metal tablet, like a god tag, around his neck. It said _Lukas Castell, Fifth Cohort_. "In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the legion, and defend the camp with honor."

The whole camp cheered, "_Senatus Populusque Romanus!_"

~oOo~

The next day, Lukas joined his fellow campers in the Fifth in their daily activities and chores.

Tally was responsible for showing Lukas the ropes. She was madder than an unmilked cow when she found out she'd have to lead Lukas around until he knew what he was doing and where he was going. Unfortunately, that was going to take a while.

Just in one morning, Lukas had accidentally flung dung down Tally's shirt as he cleaned out the pegasus stables, knocked over a bucket of acid to be used during deathball later that evening onto the newly waxed Via Praetoria, and accidently wandered into New Rome while he was supposed to be taking care of Hasdrubal, the elephant.

"Honestly, you are the worst camper I have ever seen." Tally said in exasperation as she threw her hands up into the air.

"Ouch." Lukas said, trying to joke, but it hurt. Here was the girl he had a crush on telling him he was a suckish camper.

"Sorry," Tally said, her expression softening.

"That's okay," Lukas smiled.

"But the cohort's gonna shun you if you don't man up soon. You're going to be the embarrassment of the Fifth if you don't improve." Tally said in her defense as she and Lukas walked to lunch.

"I think I already am." It was true, every camper in the mess hall from the Fifth looked at him then turned away, spreading out on their couches so Lukas couldn't sit with them. No one wants to sit with a loser.

Lukas just stood there, not knowing what to do. He felt like his whole future just disappeared in front of him.


	17. I'm A What?

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**HAPPY MARK OF ATHENA DAY! HEY GUESS WHAT? THE NEXT BOOK IS CALLED THE HOUSE OF HADES! hehe that's be HoH.**

**thanks to those who reviewed:  
Tala Rider - seriously wapple, you should log out of 'person with the same name as you's account. besides you (since you are my friend) have no right to call me and my story messed up. Only I can call myself and my story messed up. I have MoA! Yay me! Take that wapple for being such a meanie. btw have you done the math hw? cuz i haven't :)  
Saving Grace - thank you and thank you. hmm, he'll get a place in a camp, that's for sure...*wink wink*  
skoolsux311 - all of those and more! :)  
skoolsux311 - i am ABC (american born chinese) and I live in america. I will not tell you where because you might be some creepy stalker (no offense). as to your English, I meant why is ur slang (want for a better word) so american? like you say i dunno and you say guy rather than boy and you said gf rather than girlfriend (which by the way freaked me out) and well, you get my point. ewww a C. I've never gotten less than a B+.  
Meepmeep123 - don't worry, his life gets better.  
PPP4eva - your welcome and thanks  
bilboardcrabs - hehe funny penname ;)**

**"Zayn doesn't make eye contact with the fans much. I think he's afraid they might melt." -Niall Horan**

_Close the door Throw the key Don't wanna be reminded Don't wanna be seen Don't wanna be without you My judgment's clouded Like tonight's sky..._

Lukas swallowed then slowly followed Tally to her usual table. Ellie, who had been shamelessly flirting with him earlier that day, stuck her chin in the air and turned away. Atlanta looked at him as if she pitied him. Lance just looked down at his hands, which were twisting in an uncomfortable way. Even Liana and Federico who were always smiling and joking were stone silent. Bo turned her sweet face up at Lukas. She swallowed then said softly, "I'm sorry," then looked away.

Lukas glanced at Tally. He was sure that now that she had a reason to hate him, she was going to be even colder than ever, but she said under her breath, "Ignore them, just ignore them."

Lukas blinked at her, but Tally just raised an eyebrow.

A wind spirit carefully set down a grilled cheese sandwich in front of Lukas.

"Glad to know the wind spirits don't hate me. I would've starved," Lukas sighed in relief. Tally gave him a weak smile.

The mess hall was awkwardly silent for the rest of lunch. Lukas ate quickly, then left the dead silent hall. He walked down to the aqueducts. Normally campers didn't go there, but Lukas needed a place where he could be alone. He slid down against the wall of the arch until he was sitting on the grass with this back against the cool stone. He leaned his head back. Why wasn't there anything he could do right? What was he doing wrong? Maybe he wasn't a demigod at all.

"You know, you shouldn't have left the mess hall," a voice pulled Lukas back to reality. Of course he was a demigod. Lukas turned to see Tally leaning against a nearby wall. Her dark hair floated down onto her shoulders and her obsidian black eyes were staring right at him. Lukas sighed. "They all think you're a coward as well as a sucky camper."

"Yippee," Lukas said in a dead voice.

Tally pursed her lips. Lukas got the feeling she wanted to help him feel better but didn't exactly know how.

"Maybe…maybe you'll do well at deathball later tonight," Tally said tentatively.

"Yeah right," Lukas snorted.

Tally glared at him. "I'm trying to help, if you haven't noticed."

"After your coldness since I met you, that thought didn't occur to me," Lukas snarled.

"Fine!" Tally shouted. "Be that way! Just wallow in your misery for all I care. You'll never make the Isles of the Blest with that attitude."

"Wait! I didn't mean…" Lukas called as Tally stomped away. Lukas smacked himself. Why oh why did he have to be so stupid whenever Tally was around? Leaning back onto the stone wall, Lukas sighed and wondered how his life had gone from so good to so bad so quickly. Sitting in the hot sun, it wasn't long before Lukas drifted off to sleep.

"Lukas, wake up," a soft voice whispered. A small hand shook his shoulder. Without even opening his eyes, he knew at once it wasn't Tally. First of all, Tally was angry and she didn't seem like the type to come and apologize. Second, if Tally was going to wake him up, she'd kick him in the stomach rather than shake his shoulder.

"Go away!" Lukas whined as he turned over, away from the voice.

"Oh come on, just get up," the voice sighed. Lukas cracked opened one of his eyes. Crouching next to him was a petite Chinese girl.

"Bo!" Lukas yelped in surprise. "What're you doing here? I thought you hated me, too."

Bo bit her bottom lip. "_I_ don't hate you, but the rest of them would kill me if they knew I was talking to a loser like you."

Lukas huffed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Bo said as once.

"Hey, that's okay." Lukas smiled at her. Bo smiled back. "Um, why are the 'rest of them' okay with Tally talking to me?"

"Well, Tally's kind of our leader. Her grandparents and parents were all praetors of the camp. She's kind of important and most people want to stay on her good side."

"Oops." Lukas muttered. Bo laughed. "Speaking of which, is she still mad at me?"

"Nah," Bo said, shaking her head and waving her hand.

"Really?" Lukas asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Yea…no." Bo said and looked at the ground.

"No as in she isn't mad or no as in you were lying and she is mad?"

"No as in I was lying and she is mad. Mad as a hornet." Bo made a face.

"Terrific," Lukas muttered. Then he looked at Bo. "So, why are you here?"

"Oh yes!" Bo looked up at him. "I'm here to remind you that although the entire camp thinks you're a disgrace to the name of 'Roman', you still have chores and activities. You've missed sword practice, but you probably won't be punished, but you still have to come with me for marching drills. Actually, don't come _with_ me, but you get the point."

"Yeah," Lukas sighed. Oh, how he hated that people didn't even want to be seen with him. "Okay, see ya."

Bo nodded and scampered away. Lukas stood up and dusted himself off.

Only stopping for his armor and equipment, Lukas was at Field of Mars right on time. Bo winked at him from the First Cohort.

Tally glared at him from the head of the Fifth Cohort. Lukas gulped. Tally and her fellow centurion put the cohort through drill after drill. Time after time again Lukas stumbled, tripped, fell, and messed up their turtle formation in every way possible. Campers looked at him in disgust.

When the hour of sheer torture was finally over, Lukas hit the showers before going to dinner.

At dinner, Lukas didn't even bother to sit down. He glanced at Tally for a second, then stopped a wind spirit, grabbed a cheeseburger and some fries and took his dinner back to the aqueducts to eat.

Lukas felt almost peaceful as the wind whipped through his hair while he ate his cheeseburger. When he had swallowed the last bite of his dinner, Lukas walked back to the mess hall to return the plate.

After the wind spirit whisked away his empty plate, Kyle stopped Lukas on his way out of the hall.

"I need to speak with you," Kyle said, his face expressionless.

"Um, okay," Lukas said in confusion. Kyle led Lukas down a way he had never been before. It wasn't until they arrived at the _principia_ that Lukas realized where Kyle was leading him.

Once inside the _principia_, Kyle said, "You are one of the worst campers I have ever seen."

"Gee, thanks." Lukas said sarcastically.

"I think I know why. Actually, it was Eileen who came up with the idea," Kyle said, frowning.

"Okay, so why?" Lukas asked.

"I don't think you are Roman at all."

"What? Of course I'm Roman!" Lukas said incredulously.

"Not necessarily. You have not been claimed by a Roman god, you are terrible at all the things Romans do. Formations, deathball, caring for elephants."

"So, if I'm not Roman, what am I?" Lukas asked, completely confused now.

"We, Eileen and I, think that you are a…a…Greek demigod," Kyle said carefully, watching Lukas's reaction.

"I'm a what!?" Lukas shrieked.


	18. Welcome Back

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Miss Author does not own Delta Airlines.**

**okay people, sorry everything got all messed up. i tried to update with this as chapter 18 but it didn't work last time and i accidently updated ch 19 as ch 18. so this is the real ch 18.**

**if you reviewed, know that i'm thankful. i can't comment on each on right now cuz everything is so messed up.**

**"Girls are the same all over the world aren't they? They're all beautiful." -Liam Payne**

_If I'm louder, would you see me? Would you lay down In my arms and rescue me? 'Case we are the same You save me, When you leave it's gone again..._

Lukas leaned back into the plushy blue seat. He was seated next to the window of a Delta Airlines airplane. A man with a curly mustache and a few, well maybe more than a few, extra pounds. His beady eyes were buried under layers of fat on his face. The man coughed and his triple chins jiggled.

Lukas took a deep breath as the plane picked up speed. It sped up faster and faster until the plane's nose tipped up and the wheels left the ground. Lukas was completely comfortable with traveling. He wondered vaguely why.

Soon, however, Lukas grew bored. There isn't anything like sitting in a chair for hours doing absolutely nothing. His legs soon fell asleep and so did he.

Several hours later, Lukas woke up just as the plane was descending. He grimaced as his ears popped from the new altitude.

The seat shook as the wheels of the plane bumped onto the ground. As soon as the plane stopped rolling and the little light above the seats said it was safe to undo the seatbelts, Lukas stood up and immediately fell down. His legs were still asleep.

After the prickly feeling left his legs, Lukas leapt up and grabbed his backpack and charged off the plane. Loping down the aisle, he leaped off the plane and into the airport.

A girl with chocolate brown hair was waiting for Lukas in the airport.

"Lukas Castell?" the girl asked, frowning.

"Yeah," Lukas said slowly.

"Great, well I'm here to take you to camp," the girl said. "I'm Jessie. Eileen and Kyle said that you didn't exactly…um…fit in at Camp Jupiter, so they think you'd be better off at Camp Half-blood, which by the way is much, much better than Camp Jupiter. Romans are so uptight and never live."

"Nice to meet you, Jessie."

Lukas and Jessie rode a gray taxi driven by three crazed old ladies with one eye and one tooth. The plane had dropped Lukas off in New York, New York, and the taxi had driven them to Camp Half-Blood, which was near Manhattan, in a few minutes. Last Lukas checked, Manhattan was a lot further away from New York than a few minutes.

Jessie had called the drivers the Gray Sisters and said that they were very good at driving their taxi, but Lukas seriously doubted their skills. The old ladies seemed like they never heard of something called 'speed limit'. They stomped on the gas pedal as soon as Lukas and Jessie were on the car and never let the pedal up until they were at camp. Unfortunately, Lukas got motion sick very easily.

The first thing that happened after Lukas stumbled off the taxi was that Lukas vomited all over the green grass next to a tall pine tree and a purple dragon. Lukas took a deep breath and immediately felt better. It was as if the tree made him feel better. Taking a better look, Lukas realized it wasn't the tree, but a glittering golden fleece hanging on the tree's branches. So that's what the dragon was for.

"That's Thalia's Pine," Jessie said, pointing to the tree. "Thalia Grace faced an army on this very hill so that her friends could get to safety. As she was dying, her father, Zeus, took pity on her and turned her into a tree, preserving her life. Years later, the Golden Fleece, which is that thing on the branches, brought her back to life and she became a Hunter of Artemis."

"Wait, hang on. Thalia _Grace_?" Lukas asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Did she ever have children?"

"No, stupid, she became a Hunter of Artemis. Maidens forever? No kids?" Jessie looked at Lukas as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, it's just that I know someone, well I knew someone called Tally Grace. I just thought they might be related. Nevermind." Thinking of Tally made Lukas's chest hurt. Okay, he'd admit it, he really like her. It definitely wasn't her cheerful personality, but he felt like he knew her.

"Oh, they're related alright. Actually, I've heard that Tally's really similar to Thalia. That's why they call her Tally. Like little Thalia." Jessie said cheerfully.

"What?"

"Thalia's brother, Jason had kids with some Roman girl and eventually their kids had kids. Tally's the only one we know of and she's Roman. Too bad, they're a powerful family."

"The only one we know of?" Something about that bothered Lukas.

"Yes, children of half-bloods grow up in the world without knowing they're half-bloods. They don't even know who their parents are until they realize they're not completely human. They grow up as orphans and if they survive and make it to one of the camps, then their legacies are revealed."

"That makes absolutely no sense," Lukas frowned.

"I know, but that's how the Romans wanted it. Their children grow up in New Rome, but we don't have a New Greece, so we agreed that children of half-bloods who have Roman and Greek blood in them have to grow up alone and find their own path in life," Jessie explained. "Sometimes, the mortal part of the parents take over and the children aren't even half-bloods."

"Oh."

"I bet you're so confused right now. Life here is way different than at Camp Jupiter, and way better. Come on, I'll show you." Jessie cheerfully led Lukas down the hill, past a beach volleyball court, and to a large sky blue house. "This is the Big House."

"Creative name," Lukas snorted.

"It's the camp headquarters, council room, and the infirmary. Here's where you'll meet Chiron. Long before I came here, like during the time of my grandma, there used to be a came director, Mr. D. I heard he was a pain in the butt and hated all the campers. I'm glad he retired."

"Same here." Lukas smiled.

"Yeah, so there's just Chiron. He's a centaur."

"What!?" Lukas yelped, the smile fading from his face. "I thought centaurs were bad. We learned about them in monster class at Camp Jupiter."

"Forget about Camp Jupiter. You're here now. And centaurs are good. A little crazy, yes, but good," Jessie said. Lukas frowned. It seemed as if everything was all wrong. "Chiron, this is Lukas."

A man with a scruffy brown beard and a white stallion body trotted up to Lukas and Jessie. The centaur studied Lukas for a second, then said, "May I see your sword?"

"What? Why?" Lukas asked as he handed over his sword. Chiron studied Lukas's sword then finally said, "Welcome back, Luke, to Camp Half-blood."


	19. Tour Of The Camp

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**ok this was first put up as ch 18 but this is actually ch 19. i made a mistake as I was uploading the real ch 18 so now ****everything is messed up. so if you're already read this and reviewed, you don't have to review again if you dont want to. if you do, then by all means do so.**

******this is also why when i was thanking people for reviews in the messed up version, i though no one reviewed and also why it seemed like something was missing from the story.**

**if you reviewed, know that i'm thankful, i just can't comment on each like i usually do because everything is messed up.**

**"If a guy is taking his girlfriend for granted, he really deserves a slap, with a baseball bat." -Louis Tomlinson**

_You're insecure Don't know what for You're turning heads when you walk through the door Don't need make-up To cover up Being the way that you are is enough..._

"Oh, no. My name isn't Luke. It's Lukas." Lukas shook his head at Chiron, the horse-man.

The centaur raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

There was awkward paused before Jessie said, "Um, so, Chiron. Should I show Lukas around?"

"I'd assume he'd know his way around, but maybe the river had some affect on him. He'll remember in time. Ah yes, he lost it. That must be it." By now Chiron was muttering to himself.

"Um, sir? I'm pretty sure I haven't lost it. I'm still sane." Lukas interrupted Chiron's muttering.

"What? Oh yes. Of course." With that, Chiron cantered away.

"Follow me," Jessie said, gesturing for Lukas to come with her.

Jessie led Lukas past a small pavilion where campers were having an art class. Well, art class extreme. Several campers were carving marble busts while others were blowing glass. Talk about extreme. They walked past a lake where naiads were pushing canoes in a different direction than the person in the canoe wanted to go. Giggling and shrieking, Lukas could tell the naiads were extremely flirtatious. As Lukas passed the Amphitheatre, images of a purple bonfire crowed into his mind. He doubled over in pain. His mind was trying to remember things that didn't exist.

"You okay?" Jessie asked in concern.

"What? Oh, yeah. Fine." Lukas nodded offhandedly. Jessie didn't look convinced, but she continued the tour.

No camp would be complete without a climbing wall, and Camp Half-blood did not disappoint. With lava flowing down the sides of the wall and rocks rumbling and smashing together, you'd have to be top-notch hero to get to the top.

As Jessie and Lukas continued through the camp, they camp upon the Mess Hall.

"This is the Mess Hall. It's also known as the Dining Pavilion."

"You know what? I don't care what the Pluto it's called, I'm starving." As if to prove the point, Lukas's stomach grumbled.

Jessie laughed. "Don't worry. Dinner's going to be soon."

"Thank the gods," muttered Lukas.

"By the way, it's Hades, not Pluto. Remember."

The next stop on the tour was the arena. A slender boy with jet-black hair and sea mist green eyes was fighting against a big buff guy with dirty blonde hair.

The buff guy sneered, "That all you got, Peris?"

"I haven't even started," Peris snorted.

"That's…Peris," Jessie sighed. "He's incredible."

"Uh, okay," Lukas said awkwardly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just…nevermind. Um, let's keep going." Jessie pulled Lukas away from the arena, her face the color of pepperoni.

"Who was that other guy?" Lukas asked as the walked towards a building near the arena.

"That was Jake. He acts all tough, enjoys beating up people, I think it makes him feel better about himself, but he can be sensitive. Especially around his girlfriend," Jessie explained. "Oh, here's the armory. Remind me to stop by here later to fit you with armor and stuff."

Lukas peeked his head inside. There was huge stash of swords, daggers, spears, guns, and all sorts off other weapons. There were also shields and armor piled in the back.

"Over here to the right are the woods. Never go in there unarmed. It's stocked with monsters and such for training."

They kept walking until they reached the stables. They didn't spend much time there, the stench of horse poop was that bad.

"Why do horses poop so much?" Lukas complained, pinching his nose shut.

"Not, horses, pegasi. There are also some unicorns. Gift from the Romans."

"Well, that's nice."

"Not really, seeing as the gods forced them to."

"Oh."

Looking into the distance, Lukas saw fields of row after row of strawberries.

"Uh, what's with the strawberries?" Lukas asked in confusion.

"What? Oh, we sell strawberries to get money. Hey, running this camp isn't exactly cheap."

"Oh."

"There's the forge. Don't go in there unless you have to. The Hephaestus campers don't like it when stray campers wander in without a purpose."

Jessie and Lukas walked a little more, then they camp upon a group of cabins. They were the weirdest bunch of buildings Lukas had even seen.

"And here we are! The cabins," Jessie said proudly.

"Which one's mine?"

"Well, we don't know yet. You haven't been claimed," Jessie said awkwardly.

"Right. When will I get claimed?"

"Before you turn thirteen."

"Great, so soon!"

"Right, um, well, see those two big cabins on the end?" Lukas nodded at Jessie's question. "Those belong to Zeus and Hera. Hera's is always empty because she's the goddess of marriage, so no demigod children. And no one lives in Zeus's cabin because the only descendant of Zeus is Tally and she's Roman.

"On the left are Poseidon, Ares, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hades, Iris, Hypnos, and Nemesis. Peris lives by himself in the Poseidon. Some say he's Percy alive again. Not literally because Percy is still alive, really old but alive, but you get what I'm saying. The Ares cabin mainly houses a bunch of big, buff, burly kids. They're mostly bullies and follow Jake. Apollo's children and descendents are mostly the music and poetry nerds **(A/N that's me! music and poetry nerd. I would totally fit in in Apollo's cabin. seriously ask my friends, music and poetry.)** Hephaestus, big, buff, and burly, too, but they're nice and good fighters. There once was a guy called Charles Beckendorf. He was the greatest leader cabin 9 ever had, except maybe Leo. Hermes, well, just keep one hand on your wallet around them. And don't give Tyler and Cody access to shaving cream unless you want to find you bunk filled with it. Hades, sometimes this kid called Lance lives there, but other than him, the place is empty. Don't mess with the Iris cabin guys. They're a bit sensitive if you make fun of their mother, you know the rainbow goddess. Apparently it's not manly enough. _Boys_. No point in visiting the Hypnos cabin. His children and descendents are always, and I mean always, snoring in their bunks. Don't get on the Nemesis campers' bad side. They will get revenge. One time I accidently offended one of them, and I woke up every morning—ah you don't wanna know."

Jessie took a deep breath and began talking again.

"On the right are Demeter, Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hecate, Tyche, Hebe, Nike. Demeter kids like to grow stuff. Eco-friendly, green thumbs, blah blah. Athena kids are smart. Like super smart. You don't want one of them as your enemy. Their plans never fail. Artemis's cabin is honorary because she is a virgin goddess, although the Hunters of Artemis occasionally stay there when they visit. Aphrodite, that's my cabin. Cabin ten. People think we're the gossip girls, but we're more than that. Just ask Piper. She's still around somewhere. Dionysus, wine dude, not many kids. Hecate's campers are the only ones who can do actual magic. It's kind of freaky. Never ever play a game of chance against Tyche's campers. They never lose. Hebe's children are the ultimate 'people people'. If you even need someone to talk to, go to one of them. And last but not least, Nike's kids are determined and competitive. They'd never settle for less than the best."

"So, what do you think I'd be?"

"I don't know yet."

Suddenly the air above Lukas's head started glowing. A faint caduceus glittered above his head for a second before it disappeared. All the campers around and Chiron who happened to be standing nearby bowed down. Lukas wondered what was happening. Why were they all bowing?

"And now I do," muttered Jessie.

Chiron shouted, "All hail, Lukas Castell, Son of Hermes, God of Messengers, Travelers, Thieves, and Roads, Messenger to the Gods."


	20. Swords and Surprises

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Miss Author is watching Harry Potter right now. "First, you must look...BEYOND! Broaden you minds!"**

**Why the heck did I mention that?**

**Thanks for all the reviews:  
PPP4eva - thanks  
Saving Grace - maybe maybe not.  
Saving Grace - jessie is a normal daughter of Aphrodite  
vball17girl - nobody cares  
vball17girl - the 'should be dead' part will be explained later y lo ciento para la confusion  
Marindaa - yay thanks  
Midnight's Angles - okay  
Meepmeep123 - er, what?  
erinhickey18 - chiron already thinks that its luke  
PPP4eva - there will most definitely be a bit romance do not worry  
skoolsux311 - i wanted hermes so it's more lukeish. peris is percy's grandson  
anyone I forgot - thanks! :)**

**sorry for the short chapter, but as I mentioned, I'm watching harry potter and I feel guilty about doing none of my homework, so...sorry**

**"The next girlfriend of Niall must feel so special. Niall has waited for you for so long." -Liam Payne**

_Tell me I'm a screwed up mess That I never listen listen Tell me you don't want my kiss That you need your distance distance Tell me anything, but don't you say he's what your missing baby..._

Moving to Camp Half-Blood was the best thing that happened in Lukas's life. He had friends, no one picked on him, no one laughed at him, and everyone excepted him. He wasn't the oddball in school with ADHD and dyslexia anymore. He had a home, but he didn't know how quickly everything could change.

"Hey, Lukas," a voice called into his cabin.

A few of his cabin mates winked and gave Lukas knowing smiles.

Lukas poked his head out of the cabin door.

"Oh, hi Jessie. Wassup?" Lukas asked and stepped out of his cabin.

"Oh, nothing, but I was just wondering," Jessie smiled sweetly and batted her eyelashes, "if you would like to accompany me later this evening on a walk down by the lake."

"What? Oh, uh sure," Lukas said uncertainly then checked his watch. "Oh, sorry, I gotta go. Sword practice."

"Right, well see ya." Jessie smiled again and walked away. Lukas frowned, wondering if something was wrong with her. She wore lip-gloss and makeup. Her clothes seemed more…feminine. And she kept batting her eyelashes. Lukas wondered if she had something stuck in her eye or something.

Lukas picked up his sword and walked down to the arena. Peris, Lukas's training mentor, was already there, waiting for him.

"Hey, Lukas, right?" Peris asked.

Lukas nodded and said, "Right."

"Here, I think a size five armor with fit you. I'll help you with you armor since this is you first day, but from now on, I expect you to do that on your own."

"Right," Lukas said again.

Peris helped Lukas with all the crazy straps and pieces of his armor. Lukas wondered how he would remember for tomorrow.

Peris then went on to show and tell Lukas each basic sword move.

"Thrust, parry, feint, sidestep. See? Easy right?" Peris asked. Lukas nodded. "Now, I'm going to show you how to defend yourself. Um, okay, come at me."

"Uh, what?"

"Try to attack me."

"Uh, okay."

Lukas felt stupid, attacking his teacher, but he looked down at his sword, lifted it up, and lunged. Peris sidestepped, but didn't block himself. Lukas wondered if he was testing what Lukas could do. Lukas lunged again.

Peris frowned. Obviously, he hadn't though Lukas would be that good. Scrunching his face in concentration, Lukas slammed the edge of his blade onto the edge of Peris's sword. Sweat beaded on Peris's forehead. The two boys were deadlocked, their swords scraping against each other as each boy pushed with all their might. Then suddenly, Peris let go, spun to the side, knocked Lukas's sword out of his hand, and touched the tip of his blade against Lukas's undefended chest.

"Were you trained at Camp Jupiter?" Peris asked suspiciously. Lukas shook his head no. "Never?" Lukas shook his head again. Peris frowned.

"Um, did I do alright?" Lukas asked tentatively.

Peris had obviously been shaken, but he put on a smile and said, "Alright? By gods, Lukas, you did amazing! Okay, now again."

Peris and Lukas fought until lunchtime. Of course, Peris won most of the matches, but Lukas came close to beating him once or twice.

"I'm telling you, with some real training, you could be the best swordsman since, well, since my grandfather."

"You're grandfather?" Lukas frowned.

"Yeah. Just wait until the bonfire tonight. We retell legends each night. It's an old tradition started eh, maybe fifty sixty years ago."

"Really? So what legends are you retelling tonight?"

"This week, we're retelling the stories of the heroes of the last Great Prophecy, the Prophecy of Seven."

"Wait, so like each night, you tell the history of each half-blood?"

"Exactly," Peris grinned. "And tonight, we're retelling the legends of my grandfather, Perseus Jackson."

"Great! I can't wait!" Lukas smiled and then both he and Peris hit the showers and headed off to lunch.


	21. Lukas Remembers

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**thx 2 da ppl who reviewed:  
vball17girl - don't worry, i will fail the english test too. i gtg study  
PPP4eva - no idea yet  
Marindaa - kay cool yay  
skoolsux311 - um, thanks?**

**"Niall is so much fun and he never stops. It must be exhausting being him." -Zayn Malik**

_Circles, we're going in circles Dizzy's all it makes us We know where it takes us We've been before Closer, maybe looking closer There's more to discover..._

Lukas sat alone on his bunk in his cabin, listening to music on his iPod.

"Hey," Jessie called as she walked into the cabin. "Ready for the campfire?"

"WHAT?" Lukas shouted; his ears were still plugged with his earbuds.

"PULL YOUR EARBUDS OUT!" Jessie shouted back.

"WHAT?" Lukas shouted again.

Jessie rolled her eyes and yanked Lukas's earbuds out of his ears.

"CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?" Jessie shouted into his ear.

Lukas covered his ears and said, "No need to shout about it."

Jessie rolled her eyes again. "Come on, it's time for the campfire."

"Really? Cool!" Lukas pulled himself out of his bed and jumped up.

"Kay, let's go," Jessie said cheerfully and led him by the arm to the amphitheater.

Already there sat about a hundred campers sitting with arms hung across each others' shoulders, laughing and singing campfire songs that would've been embarrassing any other time.

"What? It already started?" Lukas asked with an offended look.

Someone laughed. Lukas looked around as saw Peris and a few of his friends were sitting and laughing.

"Hey, why don't you sit with us?" Peris looked at Lukas.

"Sure! We'd love to!" Jessie cheered.

"Uh, I was asking…" Peris said, awkwardly pointing to Lukas. "…but uh, I guess you could sit here too."

Lukas tried not to laugh as Peris's friends scooted over to make room for him and Jessie.

"So, uh when're we going to retell the legends?" Lukas asked.

"Now," Peris replied and pointed to a girl at the front of the amphitheater. The girl had soft, chocolate brown hair in ringlets and hazel eyes.

"Hey campers!" the girl shouted. "So, who wants to start the night off with the beginning of Percy Jackson's tale?"

About half the hands in the audience shot to the air.

"Ooookay," the girl said slowly. "Um, let's start with Peris, grandson of Percy Jackson."

Peris's hand wasn't even in the air, but the girl with the brown ringlets forced him to come up to the front.

"Uh, hi guys," Peris said to the silent crowd. "So, who knows anything about Percy?"

"Oh! Oh! I know! Percy was the hero of the Great Prophecy."

"Which one?" Peris raised his eyebrows.

"Both of the most recent two."

"Right," Peris said. "So, Percy Jackson was the hero of two, not one, but two Great Prophecies, but he wasn't always the greatest hero of all time. In the beginning, he was a sixth grade boy who had been kicked out of every school he ever went to. He lived with his mom and his stupid stepfather, a smelly jerk named Smelly Gabe."

Several people laughed. As Peris talked and talked on and on about minotaurs and flashes of gold, his voice drained out of Lukas's mind as Lukas zoned out.

"…and then Annabeth Chase led him to the Hermes cabin and a guy called Luke Castellan welcomed him to the cabin."

"Luke? What?" Lukas sat up and poked Jessie in the shoulder.

"Yeah. Guy called Luke Castellan. He was a traitor then he came back to the good side and destroyed Kronos." Jessie whispered.

"I know that!" Lukas gasped and clutched his head in pain.

"Uh, that's great, but shh, I wanna listen to Peris," Jessie whispered.

Lukas frowned. Then suddenly, the memories flooded over him. He groaned and clutched his head. He sunk into a flashback.

He, Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover were on the run. Thalia's electric blue eyes sparked as she pointed to a small blot in the distance.

"We're here," Thalia said.

"But we don't have enough time," moaned Grover.

"Way to go, optimist," Thalia snorted.

"Who cares, let's go!" Luke shoved Annabeth in front of him and towards the hill in the distance. "Thalia?"

Thalia shook her head. "No, you go." Thalia shoved Luke forwards like he did to Annabeth. Luke nodded and charged forwards. "Goat boy?" Grover yelped and ran after Luke.

As they ran up the hill, the monsters behind them slowly caught up.

"Luke, grab the others and go. One of us has to stay behind and stall the monsters," Thalia shouted. Luke nodded and pushed Annabeth and Grover forward and over the boundaries.

Luke turned around and saw a determined expression painted across Thalia's face as she fought off and killed monster after monster. Her blue eyes were hard with determination. There was something about her eyes and hair that reminded Lukas of someone. The eyes. Lukas tried to think. The eyes, the eyes, the eyes…Tally!

Lukas gasped and opened his eyes, the memory of Tally bringing him back to reality. He suddenly realized something. He was Luke Castellan from the story. He was Luke, born again.


	22. Is That Good or Bad?

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**woo hoo I finished MoA!**

**thanks to the people who reviewed:  
Saving Grace - kay  
Marindaa - okay  
Guest - um k?  
Midnight's Angels - ok  
vball17girl - i'm running out of ways to say ok  
Nekotan1999 - kay  
skoolsux311 - okay  
Guest - k  
- actually he liked Annabeth. it either said so in MoA or in the camp half blood wikia  
jeffyyfsong - ok**

**"Sometimes, all the girls hug all the boys except me, and i just smile, but it hurts." -Niall Horan**

_It's a quarter to three can't sleep at all He's so overrated If you told me to jump, I'd take the fall And he wouldn't take it All that you want's under your nose, yeah_

"Lukas?" Jessie asked and waved her hand in front of Lukas's face. "Lukas, you okay?"

"Huh?" Lukas groaned groggily. He sat up to a hundred pairs of eyes trained on him. "Oh, gods, how embarrassing."

"Lukas, you uh, passed out," Jessie said carefully.

"Huh?" Lukas groaned again.

"You passed out," Jessie said awkwardly.

"I remember!" Lukas shouted, standing up suddenly.

"Remember what?" Chiron asked, interrupting the awkward campfire.

"I'm Luke!" Lukas said proudly. Several people laughed at him. "No, seriously. I'm Luke Castellan. I choose for rebirth and I was reborn into Lukas Castell."

"Sure," several people rolled their eyes.

"I am! Seriously!" Lukas said, his eyes wide in surprise that the campers didn't believe him.

"He is," Chiron said loud enough for the entire camp to hear.

"Now he's just showing off," several campers argued.

"What? No!" Lukas shook his head. "I didn't…I mean…I was just blurting out what I saw in my memories! My…uh…fake memories." Lukas knew his memories were all too real, but he had no idea how he had overcome the power of the Lethe.

"Right. Like we're going to believe that," some of the campers rolled their eyes. Most of them stood up and walked away. The only ones left were Chiron who looked unsurprised, Jessie who's mouth was formed into a small 'o', and Peris who was frowning slightly.

"Lukas? Were you serious? Are you really Luke Castellan?" Peris asked in confusion.

"Well, yeah," Lukas said, frowning as well.

"Oh. Ok. I'm sorry the rest of camp is being a little cold. They're just a little jealous. They'll come around sometime." Peris smiled. For someone with a similar age as him, Peris seemed a lot more mature than Lukas.

"Right," Lukas said uncomfortably.

"Lukas, I need to talk to you," Chiron said. When no one made a move to leave Lukas and Chiron alone, Chiron clarified, "_alone_."

"Oh, right." Peris and Jessie cleared out.

"Lukas, what do you remember from your life as Luke?" Chiron asked.

"Everything. I remember everything," Lukas said slowly.

"Were you dunked into the River Lethe properly?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Then I know why you still posses your memories."

"Why?"

"You had the Curse of Achilles. Of course you lost the invincibility powers, but the curse left a mark on you. The Lethe didn't affect you properly, and your memories came back."

"So…"

"So, you have all the powers of your past life now."

"Is that good or bad?"

"I will not tell you. You have to follow your own fate. If I give you the answers, they become invalid," Chiron said wisely. "By the way, I think you friends are…ah, eavesdropping."

Lukas looked where Chiron was pointing and indeed, Peris and Jessie were leaning in, listening to Chiron and Lukas's conversation.

"Guys," Lukas complained as the three of them walked to the cabins.

"I'm so sorry, Lukas," Jessie apologized. "I just needed to hear whether you really were Luke or not."

"Yeah, do you want us to call you Luke?"

"No, I like Lukas,"

"That's the problem, we don't." A few campers were leaning against a blood-red cabin. "We don't like liars Lukas, and we don't like you."

Lukas almost groaned. Not again.


	23. Remember Me?

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**gotta make this quick gotta go to bed.**

**thanks to the people who reviewed:  
Marindaa - call him whatever you want  
skoolsux311 - not yet apparently  
vball17girl - grr i hate math  
GreekyGirl - ok thanks  
PurpleQueen981 - thanksyou**

**"My favorite Pokemon is Oshawott. He's quite cute, quite cuddly. Niall, you're Oshawott." -Zayn Malik**

_I wanna stay up all night And jump around until we see the sun I wanna stay up all night And find a girl and tell her she's the one Hold on to the feeling And don't let it go..._

"Good feint," Peris grunted. "Now, do it again."

Lukas groaned and attacked Peris again. He was getting tired of training hour after hour with Peris.

As Lukas swung his sword and Peris's blade came up to meet it, Lukas froze with fear. A cold wind swept through the arena. Peris's sword came to a complete stop. Both Lukas and Peris were frozen to the spot, their eyes wide.

"Ah, so Lukas, we meet again," a cold voice said silkily. Lukas's body started shaking uncontrollably. He knew that voice. He had heard it night after night in his nightmares. Lukas opened his mouth to say something but no sound came out. "Remember me?"

A dark, cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows. Peris's eyes widened and if he could, he probably would've stepped back in fear.

"Metus," Lukas mumbled in shock. His nightmares were coming back to haunt him. "What do you want?"

"Ah, right to the chase, yes, well if you must." Metus shrugged. "I am here to bring you wonderful news!"

"What's that?" Lukas muttered in wonder. He had a nagging suspicion that his idea of wonderful news differed from Metus's.

"Your fate has come. Everything has been set for the destruction."

"Destruction?"

"Yes, you see? Destruction. The Olympians thrown into chaos as their worst fears are realized. Except a few, my silly followers have no idea what is really at work. They think I will get rid of their fears, but what's a world without fear?"

"I-I don't know," Lukas mumbled. Olympians in chaos wouldn't be that bad would it? He felt like the Olympians neglected him. That's what caused him to join Kronos in his past life wasn't it? And everything turned out okay? Right?

"Yes, see? You understand. All I need is one little demigod to complete the job. I have demigods lined up to do the honors, but I thought you should have the chance to redeem yourself from your failure one hundred years ago."

"What would I have to do?" Lukas asked. He realized that the reason that the Titan War came close to destroying the world was because he was resentful and wasn't grateful for what he had. He had changed when he died, and he was ready to defend Olympus from whatever fate threw at him, even if the gods were a bunch of powerful, bratty, teenage-like immortals.

"Ah ah ah, I can't tell you until you pledge yourself to me," Metus smiled evilly. "If you don't, well, you know what's coming."

A sudden image of him as four-year-old screaming in fear flashed through his mind. Lukas shivered. He did know what was coming if he didn't pledge himself.

Suddenly Peris stumbled out of his fear trance. "Lukas, don't do it!"

"Silence!" Metus snapped his fingers and Peris was paralyzed in fear again. That was the last straw. One of his only friends, one of the only people who didn't hate him was being tortured.

"NO!" Lukas shouted. "I WILL NEVER HELP YOU!"

"Bad choice, Lukas Castell," Metus smiled as if he couldn't be happier that Lukas declined. He snapped his fingers again.

Blackness swept over Lukas. Lukas felt sheer terror. His friends were dying. Tally lay in a pool of blood, knife in her stomach, gasping for breath, screaming for help. Peris's body was seizing up. His limbs going limp, his life slipping away. Jessie hung upside down, her hair falling over her face, but not masking her screams, as the blood flowed from a huge wound in her side and over her body.

They were all just in reach, just enough life in each to be saved, but Lukas could only save one. He couldn't choose. His friends were dying. Lukas tried to reach out, but he couldn't help. He felt useless and powerless to the fact that everything that mattered was being ripped out his life.

~oOo~

"Lukas! Lukas, wake up please!" Someone was slapping his face. "Lukas, please. Lukas, stop screaming."

The images in Lukas's mind disappeared. He cracked open his eyes. Jessie, Peris, and Chiron were looking down at him as Lukas lay in a huddle on the arena floor.

"Dude, you look…terrible," Peris said.

Lukas picked up a shield and looked at his reflection. Indeed, his face was gaunt, his skin a sickly pale color, his blonde hair almost white, fear clear as day in his blue eyes.

"Thanks," Lukas muttered.

"Luke…Lukas, I think you should visit Lara," Chiron said slowly

"Uh, who?"

"Of course! Lara, the oracle!" Peris smacked his forehead. "Come on. I'll lead you to her cave."

Chiron went back to the Big House while Lukas, Peris, and Jessie walked through the camp to Lara's cave. Campers were staring and pointing. Lukas tried to ignore it as they entered the cave.

The girl with the chocolate brown ringlets stood in the cave entrance. Her eyes were closed and green fog was swirling around her.

"What's going on?" Lukas asked, but Jessie shushed him.

The girl opened her mouth and rasped, "_The heart of the hero enslaved by fear, the path for the brave is never clear, and love is not but a worthless lie, as she waits eagerly for her friends to die._"


	24. Trains

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**thx 2 da ppl who reviewed:  
the electric phantom - if you can figure it out, sneak peek to you (and that goes to everyone)  
Saving Grace - I don't think there is any other way to contact me outside of fanfiction...thanks, and btw, I guess years of practice with poems finally payed off in my prophecy :)  
Marindaa - ok Luke is okay. it's weird cuz I had a friend called Luke back in fourth grade and its weird reading his name...but I don't care, call him whatever you want  
Saving Grace - hope ur mom feels better  
vball17girl - ya know what? i'll just explain now...sometime in the past, someone found a way for heroes (demigods only, so no Rachel cuz she's mortal) to age twice as slow so thats why percy and annabeth and them are still alive.  
skoolsux311 - really? do you like any other 1D songs?**

**"If the love is real, it will rise above all else." -Zayn Malik**

_Hey girl, it's now or never, it's now or never Don't over-think, just let it go And if we get together, yeah, get together Don't let the pictures leave your phone, ohhhh_

Lukas, Jessie, and Peris were sitting in the Big House discussing the plans for their quest.

"What exactly is the point of the quest?" Peris scratched his head.

"Stop, possibly destroy, Metus so he can't terrorize Olympus and throw the world into chaos," Lukas answered.

"Within this week. Metus said something about needing a week to complete his plans," added Jessie.

"Oh, right," Peris blushed. "Obvious answer. So um, where exactly is Metus?"

"He goes all over the place," Jessie said. "One can never be sure where exactly he is."

"Exactly," Lukas agreed. "Right now, I think that he was lying about having a lot of demigods to complete the job, and right now he's looking for a helper. I think he probably won't find a demigod to help him here, so he probably went east to Camp Jupiter."

"Okay, but here's the problem," Peris said slowly, "we have no clue where Camp Jupiter is. Lupa and the Romans aren't exactly the sharing type."

"Yes, but you forgot that I was at Camp Jupiter for a day before I came here."

"You were at Camp Jupiter for a day before you came here?" Jessie asked.

"Apparently I forgot to tell you," Lukas muttered.

"Okay, so we have to go towards Camp Jupiter. Then what? How are we going to destroy Metus?" Peris asked.

"I have no clue yet, but we have to focus on finding him first," Lukas frowned.

Peris and Jessie laughed slightly then nodded their heads in agreement.

Chiron suddenly trotted into the rec room. "I see you have a plan. That is good news. You must leave now."

"Now?" Lukas complained.

Chiron nodded. "Yes, now. Don't forget the prophecy and good luck."

Lukas frowned but he, Jessie, and Peris headed for the door. They met Argus, the many eyed security guard at Thalia's Pine. Argus nodded and led them to a car on the other side of the hill.

Argus drove them through town to the nearest airport. Rain was pouring down on their heads as they stepped out of the car and into the airport.

"Oh, I absolutely love the rain," Peris muttered. "Wait, we're _flying_ to Cali?"

"Yeah, it's the quickest way," Jessie answered.

"No, no, no, no, no! I can't fly. Grandson of Poseidon, remember? I can't go into Zeus's domain," Peris argued.

"Ugh, then how are we going to get there?" Lukas groaned.

"Bus, maybe?" Peris offered.

"Huh, if we must," Jessie groaned.

"How about train?" Lukas asked.

"Are there even trains in America?" Peris asked. When Lukas and Jessie stared at him he said, "Hey, don't judge, I've been at Camp Half-Blood ever since I can imagine."

"Duh, of course there are trains," Lukas said, "and if we want to get to California soon, we have to get going."

Jessie nodded and Peris led the charge into the rain to call a taxi to the nearest train station.

"Where to?" the gruff guy in the front of the car asked. He had a two-day beard and gum between his teeth.

"Nearest train station please," Peris said.

The taxi bumped and sped through the roads of Manhattan. When the taxi finally stopped, Peris, Jessie, and Lukas jumped out of the car.

"Yes! Free—" Lukas shouted, happy to be out of the taxi, but was met by a downpour of rain. "Awww, come on!"

Peris laughed and led them to the ticket booth.

"Three tickets to Oakland, California please," Lukas said to the lady behind the ticket booth.

The lady behind the ticket booth typed a few keys into a computer, clicked her mouse and the printer beeped. It spat out three tickets.

"Here are tickets for all of you. You'll need to stop and switch trains at Chicago, Illinois and once again at Denver, Colorado. Hope your trip is pleasant." The lady smiled and handed over their tickets.

Peris led them to their platform to board the train. The train was silver with blue and gold stripes. The doors slid open and they boarded the train. They found their seats near the back. They were in chair pairs of two. The seats could swing around to face each other and a small table could be pulled down from the side of the train to stand between the two seats. Jessie and Lukas sat next to each other facing the front of the train, and Peris sat opposite them and facing the back.

"I can't believe it," Peris muttered. "I'm finally on a quest. I haven't seen the real world since…well, ever. We're actually on a quest."


	25. Dark Hoodie and Jeans

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**thx to all the people who reviewed:  
Saving Grace - thx, i'll need that good luck. i think that lukas and his buddies will meet some horrible monster in denver...  
Reyna23 - um ok  
vball17girl - wait, what do you mean?**

**that's it? i think you can review more than that people!**

**i need help with the quest. i have no idea about what should happen. any ideas? if you review an idea and its really good, i'll pm you a free sneak peek at the next chapter :)**

**"Once I tried to eat without a spoon for a day & it was really hard. Liam is the man!" -Zayn Malik**

_I hear the beat of my heart getting louder Whenever I'm near you But I see you with him slow dancing Tearing me apart cause you don't see Whenever you kiss him..._

Lukas stumbled off the train, panting, at a stop in Chicago.

"Gah!" Lukas shouted. "I hate trains."

Lukas thought he heard a soft whisper of a laugh from behind him but both Jessie and Peris were in front of him. He whipped around to see who was laughing at him, but all he caught was a barely noticeable wisp of dark, almost black, hair. Frowning, Lukas turned back to his friends, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Jessie asked. "All I can hear is Peris's stomach growling." Peris gave her a fake offended look and she laughed.

"No, no, not that. A laugh." Lukas frowned again. "Nevermind. Must be nothing."

"Come on, we have an hour before we need to board the next train. Might as well find somewhere to eat," Peris said looking up at the clock above the platform sign.

With an uneasy feeling, Lukas followed his friends out of the train station and to a small café a few blocks down.

The café had small double glass doors and windows lining the sides. The name of the café, Café Claro, was painted in a soft baby blue color above the doors. The inside looked neat, orderly, not over-crowded, but not deserted either.

The three of them walked up to the register.

"Um, hot chocolate please," Lukas ordered looking up at the menu.

"Me too," said Jessie.

"Me three," said Peris.

"Three hot chocolates? Okay, that'll be fifteen sixty-two," the waiter said, punched a few keys in her register, placed Lukas's money in the register, printed the receipt, and gave it to Lukas. Lukas nodded and led Jessie and Peris to a small table near the back. He faced to doorway with Jessie on his right and Peris across from him.

As he sipped his hot chocolate and burned his tongue, a girl in a dark hoodie and jeans with her hood pulled over her head walked in. Lukas thought he saw the bottom of a purple shirt peeking out from under the hoodie. He couldn't see her face, which bothered him because she seemed like someone who would be ready to fight to the death to protect herself at a moments notice.

"Hey, does that girl seem suspicious to you?" asked Jessie. So Lukas wasn't the only one who noticed the girl. He nodded to Jessie.

"It doesn't matter. There are enough witnesses here that she won't attack us. Besides, we outnumber her three to one. I'm willing to bet that is she's a demigod, she was sent to spy on us if anything," Peris said glancing back at the girl as he stirred a few marshmallows into his drink.

They finished their hot chocolates in silence, then marched back to the train station.

Once on board the next train, and the train was chugging its way east, Lukas said, "You guys go on to sleep. I'll keep watch." Peris nodded thankfully and was snoring in seconds. Jessie however just frowned.

"Hey, Lukas. I need some advice."

"About what?" Lukas snorted. "If its how to get campers to hate you, then I'm your man."

"No, but…well, I really like this guy and I don't know if he likes me back. What do I do?"

"Tell him you like him then ask him if he likes you."

"Lukas, I really like you. Do you like me?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"No,"

"Oh, um sorry. Well, I guess. Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"This is awkward. Um, sure, I like you too."

Jessie was silent for a second then said, "Would you be my boyfriend?"

"I don't really think this is the time for that," Lukas avoided the question awkwardly.

"Well, we might die on this quest. Or at least go crazy with fear. I though maybe we could enjoy it while we can."

"Good point. Um, sure. I guess…why not?"

Jessie smiled so brightly that Lukas felt guilty. He wanted to tell her that he had a crush on Tally, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her.

"I-I think I'm going to…going to sleep now."

"Okay, good night." Jessie smiled and Lukas fell asleep, even if it was only to avoid more awkward questions.

~oOo~

When Lukas woke, the train was stopping at another train station.

"Are we already in Denver?" Peris mumbled. Apparently he was just waking up as well.

"Yup," Jessie said. Then she smiled and winked at Lukas. Lukas nodded back to her. He kind of liked her. She wouldn't be that bad a girlfriend, but Lukas couldn't help wondering about Tally.

Climbing out of the train, Lukas panicked. A girl in a dark hoodie and jeans was leaning against the wall right in front of him. He could see her eyes. They were electric blue. She pushed the hood onto her shoulders and shook out her dark hair.

Lukas gasped. The girl smiled. "Hey, Lukas. Miss me?"


	26. Snake!

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**Thank you to the people who reviewed:  
Marindaaa - thanks  
Saving Grace - thanks but no thanks  
Theanonymouswriter12 - hehe thanks  
the electric phantom - um...thanks but no thanks  
skoolsux311- hehe you shouldn't have said that. i was tempted to not review so you could jump off the Empire State Building. btw NEVER INSULT ONE DIRECTION IN FRONT OF ME. *points pink umbrella at you* (hehe harry potter reference)  
PurpleQueen981 - :)  
vball17girl - tru dat! sowwie wapple. i just know that you'll still review evn if i forget to give you a sneak peek cuz u is my friend.**

**"You don't have to protect me against our fans, they won't hurt me!" -Niall Horan**

_Wake up, we both need to wake up Maybe if we face up to this We can make it through this Closer, maybe we'll be closer Stronger than we were before, yeah Make this something more, yeah..._

Lukas gasped like a fish. His mouth hit the ground. "T-Tally? Tally! What are you doing here?"

"Following you, duh," Tally rolled her eyes. "I thought you were smarter than that."

"Who are you and why would you follow us?" Peris asked suspiciously.

"Who do you think I am and why do you think I'd follow you?" Tally raised an eyebrow.

"Tally! Why are you following us?" Lukas asked.

"To make sure that you don't do something stupid on your way to camp," Tally shrugged.

"Hey! Don't you talk to him like that!" Jessie snapped her fingers in Tally's face.

"Excuse me?" Tally raised an eyebrow.

"He's my boyfriend and you have no right to call him stupid," snarled Jessie.

Tally didn't say anything but she glanced from Lukas to Jessie and back to Lukas.

"Wait you said 'on our way to camp', but we're not going to camp. We're coming from camp." Jessie frowned.

"No, I meant on your way to Camp Jupiter. I don't care about that filthy pigsty you call camp," Tally glared at Jessie. Then she said under her breath, "Guess that Lukas isn't the only dumb one here."

"Well!" Jessie huffed.

"So, now what?" Lukas asked.

"Now we…AHH!" Peris shouted, his eyes growing as huge as golf balls. A huge roar sounded behind them and Jessie screamed. Lukas assumed her should have helped his girlfriend, but with Tally present, he felt awkward even thinking about it.

Jessie tried to run away, but Peris held her back. Peris, Tally, and Lukas each unsheathed their swords and turned towards the monster.

A huge snake as thick as a couch hissed at them. This was no ordinary snake though. At each end of the serpent was a snakehead with poisonous fangs and glittering eyes. One of the heads had dark green eyes and the other had blood-red eyes.

"Lukas, keep the red-eyed head busy and Peris, you do the same with the green-eyed head," Tally directed. "I'll chop it in half while its busy."

Lukas nodded and slashed at the evil red eyes. The snake lunged at him. Its poisonous fangs scraped at his side. Lukas didn't feel anything, which didn't bother him, but it should have. He should have known that no pain was worse than horrible pain. Lukas dodged the fangs and slammed the flat of his blade down onto the snake's head.

Lukas assumed that Peris and Tally had both done their jobs because the next thing he saw were the gooey slimy poison-filled guts of the midsection of the snake.

Jessie gagged as Lukas sheathed his sword. Peris and Tally rolled their eyes at Jessie, but their faces changed in surprise as the serpent pieces pulled themselves together and the snake completely reformed.

Before he could react, the red-eyed head lunged at Lukas. Tally's eyes widened and she threw herself in the path of the snake. Time seemed to slow down. Lukas tried to shout "NO!" to Tally but before he could gets the word out, the snake plunged its fangs into Tally's body.

"Tally!" Lukas shouted and dashed to her side. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no! Tally? Please don't die. Please don't die on me. Don't leave me."

"Lukas," Tally gasped. Then she was silent, leaving the three others to wonder if she was going to live.


	27. Poison, Rainbows, and Dreams

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**long long looooooong update today. woopie!**

**thanks for all the reviews:  
Marindaaa - I don't think I wanna kill off Tally just yet.  
Saving Grace - hey your idea was great. I almost used it.  
Theanonymouswriter12 - now you see all the problems with who Jessie says she is. Makes you suspicious, right? *wink wink*  
PPP4eva - jessie = daughter of aphrodite (that's what she says she is)  
PurpleQueen981 - thanks  
vball17girl - my bro thinks that weena is too smart to be an 8 grader. so its very impressive that you almost bet her high score. :)**

**"If a guy is taking his girlfriend for granted, he really deserves a slap, with a baseball bat." -Louis Tomlinson**

_Now that you can't have me You suddenly want me You tell me you love me I slept on your doorstep Begging for one chance Now that I finally moved on You say that you missed me all alone..._

Tally's eyes didn't open, but she was alive. Barely alive. Lukas sat next to her every second. The bite marks in Tally's stomach were green and oozing pus. Lukas could practically see the poison making its way through her blood.

"I know I have a drachma around here somewhere," Peris muttered as he dug through his backpack and pockets. "Aha!"

Peris held up a shiny golden drachma with a triumphant smile. "Now for a rainbow. How can I make a rainbow?"

After pacing back and forth and back and forth, Peris grinned and shouted, "A car wash! Lukas, stay here with Tally. Jessie, come with me to send an Iris message."

Jessie looked reluctant to leave Tally and Lukas alone together, but she finally got up off her butt and followed Peris to the car wash.

Jessie and Peris snuck into the bay, the area the car usually sits in.

"Self service system," Peris muttered. "Hey, Jessie, got any change?"

Jessie dug in her pockets and took out two quarters. "How's this?"

"Perfect," Peris smiled. He snatched the coins from Jessie's hands and slid them into the coin slot on the pressure sprayer. He pushed the 'rinse' button on the dial and gave the nozzle to Jessie. "Quick, before the sun goes down."

Jessie nodded and sprayed the water into the setting sunlight. The colors of the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet, sparkled in the sunlit water.

Peris tossed his golden drachma into the rainbow and said, "Oh Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering. Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood."

The rainbow dimmed slightly and the image of Chiron glimmered into view.

"Chiron!" Peris shouted. The centaur looked up at Peris.

"Peris! What is the problem?" Chiron called.

"Tally's injured. How do we heal her?"

"Tally? As in Jason and Reyna's only known granddaughter? How is she with you? Where are you?"

"Yeah, that Tally. She was sent by Camp Jupiter to follow Lukas and bring us to their camp safely. We're in Denver. We were attacked by a two-headed snake and she was bit. The poison is flowing swiftly through her blood. She's not dead yet, but she's close. How do we heal her?" Peris explained.

"The only way to save her is with the help of Apollo. At this point, he's the only one with the power to save her," Chiron said gravely.

"How do we get Apollo to help us?" Peris groaned.

"You must do that on your own, but I suggest you split up. Maybe one of you should ask Apollo for help, and the other two should continue to Camp Jupiter and stop Metus," Chiron said thoughtfully.

"Okay."

"Oh, and one more thing. Do not, I repeat do not trust…" Chiron started to say but the water suddenly cut off and Peris was left wondering what or who it was Chiron wanted him not to trust.

"Come on. Let's go back," Peris muttered and led Jessie back to where Tally and Lukas were.

"So how do we heal her?" Lukas asked as soon as Peris was within hearing distance. "We need to heal her. We need her help."

Lukas saw Jessie blink several times, but he didn't think on it.

"Oh my gods Lukas. Look at your side," Peris said, his eyes widening. Lukas looked down at his side. He vaguely remembered being scratched slightly by the snake, but now, his wound looked far worse than he had expected. It was oozing pus and poison was spreading through his veins.

"Crap," Lukas muttered.

"How did you not notice?" Peris asked incredulously.

"I don't know. I guess I was only paying attention to Tally that I didn't notice that my side was injured," Lukas frowned. Jessie huffed slightly. "It doesn't matter. How do we heal Tally?"

"I'm pretty sure it matters, but the only way to heal Tally is to get Apollo's help," said Peris.

"How the heck am I supposed to do that?"

"I have no clue, but Jessie and I should continue to Camp Jupiter while you go and ask for Apollo's help. Time is running out. I'm sure Metus is at Camp Jupiter by now and has found the half-blood he needs to complete his plans," Peris said.

Lukas nodded. Then he froze. "Where's Jessie?"

Peris whipped around. "I thought she was just behind me."

"She was, but now she's gone." Lukas suspiciously.

"It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is finding Apollo's help and stopping Metus."

Lukas nodded. "Go help Camp Jupiter. I'll find Apollo and force him to help me, then Tally and I will meet you at Camp Jupiter."

Peris nodded and jogged away into the setting sun. Lukas took a deep breath.

"Lukas?" Tally asked weakly.

"Tally! Are you okay?" Lukas asked frantically.

"I'm almost dead. Do you think I'm okay?" Tally asked dryly. Lukas had to smile. Even on Hades' doorstep, Tally found a way to be sarcastic.

"I'm going to find Apollo and ask him to heal you. He is the god of medicine after all," Lukas reassured Tally.

"What happened to your side?" Tally asked weakly pointing to Lukas's wound.

"Nothing, it's nothing."

"Did you get hurt?" Tally scolded him. Then she muttered, "Idiot."

Lukas huffed. "Did you hear me? I'm going to find—"

"Yes, I heard you. Apollo." Tally interrupted. "But I think you should sleep a while first. You've got double circles under your eyes. You look like you're dead on your feet. That cannot be good for you."

Lukas rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Good old Tally. Insulting him at every chance.

"Fine. But wake me after a few hours."

Tally nodded. Lukas sat down at the roots of a tree. Well, Tally was right about something; Lukas was exhausted. He was sound asleep in a few seconds.

He dreamed he was standing in a small patch of sunlight in an otherwise dark cornfield.

_Lukas. How's it going?_ A voice sounded in Lukas's mind.

"Apollo?" Lukas asked incredulously.

_Present and accounted for._ Apollo flew down in an Italian sports car and parked right in front Lukas in the patch of sunlight.

"How did…How are you…What…" Lukas stuttered.

_You wished for my help, yes? Of course you wanted my help. Who doesn't?_

"Um," Lukas muttered.

_Right. Tally's injured._

Lukas blinked.

_Hey, when the sun goes up, I see everything there is to see. I know everything there is to know._

"So, how do I heal her?"

_If you do me a favor, I might just help you._

"What do I have to do?"

_Well, Dionysus is throwing a party tomorrow, and I want to go._

"So?"

_So, I'm supposed to drive the sun chariot, actually the sun sports car, tomorrow and Artemis said I have to do my duty but I want to go to the party. Arty is so annoying sometimes. 'You have to do this, you can't do that. Blah blah blah.'_

"Uh?"

_Right getting off topic. Anyway, I want you to drive my car into the sky tomorrow morning when the sun is supposed to rise and drive my car down when the sun is supposed to set. If you don't burn anyone to death or make it snow in, like, Florida or something, then I'll help you heal Tally._

Lukas didn't even need to think about it. "Done," he said, sealing the deal.


	28. So How Do I Heal Tally?

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**i just love poetry**

**thanks to the people who reviewed:  
Guest - thanks...keep reading  
Saving Grace - hey i really like the name jade...can i call you that from now on? lol you obsessively check my story. that funny.  
Theanonymouswriter12 - I doubt it  
PPP4eva - 100 years since the Giant War  
Freenix - I doubt it  
vball17girl - THATS GREAT FOR YOU THATS GREAT FOR YOU THATS GREAT FOR YOU THATS GREAT FOR YOU**

**"We're five normal lads. We're not massively ripped. We don't have amazing bodies, and we freely admit we can't dance." -Zayn Malik**

_Girl I see it in your eyes you're disappointed 'Cause I'm the foolish one that you anointed with your heart I tore it apart And girl what a mess I made upon your innocence..._

Sitting behind the driving wheel, Lukas's heart was pounding and his knuckles were white as his sweaty hands gripped the wheel.

"Word of advice, never let a twelve year old drive a car that could potentially burn entire cities to the ground," Lukas muttered to himself.

"Okay, so this is the PRNDL," Apollo said.

"You mean the gearshift?" Lukas asked with a funny look on his face.

"Yeah whatever. Anyway, its park, reverse…" Apollo started to explain.

"Yeah, yeah, park, reverse, neutral, drive, and low," Lukas finished.

"Right. So you know how to drive already! Great! See ya in a few hours. Maybe more than a few," Apollo cheered.

With that a bright light flashed in front of Lukas and Apollo was gone. Lukas gulped. "That wasn't what I meant!" Lukas groaned.

He took a deep breath and looked at his watch. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…"

Lukas gripped the gearshift and switched it to drive. Stepping on the gas pedal, the car roared to life and lifted into the air. The steadiness of the car reassured Lukas as he carefully flew over Denver.

Lukas started to panic when the car wouldn't stop ascending and people down in Denver started to shiver. Hitting random buttons and pulling random levers, the car started going crazy and making weird noises as it kept going up.

Soft white flakes started to fall over the city. Lukas panicked and his hand hit the gearshift. Pushing the gearshift to neutral, the car stopped ascending.

"Oh, well that was simple," Lukas muttered under his breath. Paying more attention to whom he was freezing, Lukas flew across Colorado.

"Crap," Lukas murmured. He was flying east. He was supposed to fly west. The sun rises in the east, so he'd have to drive west. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." Lukas smacked himself in the head.

Shifting the car into drive again, Lukas grabbed the steering wheel and forced the car to turn left. As the sleek silver body of the car banked left, people in Denver gasped and pointed to the sun.

"Heh, I guess the mortals noticed when the sun came up and then went back down," Lukas said to himself.

As soon as the sun car was headed in the right direction, Lukas shifted the car back to neutral and cruised over Colorado and to Utah. Lukas yawned as he drove over Nevada, Colorado, and the Pacific Ocean. Looking down, Lukas saw the shimmering royal blue water. The blue water reminded Lukas of Tally's eyes. Sighing, Lukas remembered why he was driving the sun in the first place.

A few hours later, Lukas saw land in the distance. Japan! Lukas sighed at the beautiful Mount Fuji and the lovely cherry blossom trees.

After Lukas passed over Japan, he came to China. Lukas stared in amazement at the breathtaking Yellow Mountain and the seemingly endless Great Wall. China seemed to last forever, but finally he flew over the Middle East and eventually came upon Italy.

Looking down at the Coliseum, Lukas amazed over the incredible architecture. He had to give the Romans credit for the genius of the arch.

Passing over the Mediterranean, and Spain, Lukas was once again flying over the ocean, but this time, the Atlantic Ocean.

Lukas was getting bored driving over the sparkling water, but eventually he saw the Statue of Liberty.

Pennsylvania was long and boring, and Lukas had to agree that Cleveland, Ohio was the Mistake on the Lake. Lake Erie was much more polluted than he had thought. He frowned. He also thought that Ohio was full of Amish people and farmers. Oh, well, there were other people down there, too.

Lukas passed over the Upper Mississippi River. It looked like a snake slithering its way through the country. Lukas glared at it as he remembered and cursed at the stupid snake that injured Tally.

Lukas thought he saw a tornado forming in Kansas and he felt bad for all the poor people in Kansas that would be hit by the twister.

Getting excited, Lukas flew over the Eastern part of Colorado. After switching the gearshift to drive, Lukas slammed on the brake pedal and descended over Denver. The wheels squeaked as the car screeched to a stop. A lean teenager, maybe nineteen years old, with perfect features of wavy blonde hair leaned against a tree, waiting for Lukas.

"Nice job, Lukas," Apollo grinned.

"So I passed?" Lukas said with a huge smiled on his face as he climbed out of the car.

"I guess so. I mean, there was that little…um…mishap at the beginning. Woulda been bad if the sun rose in the west. Well, the rest of the drive was fine, so sure, I guess you pass." Apollo winked at Lukas. Lukas blushed.

"So how do I heal Tally? We had a deal, remember?" Lukas said.

"Course I remember."

"So how do I heal Tally?"

"Poetry!" Apollo beamed.

"Um, what?"

"Okay, just recite this poem to Tally. Hmm lemme think…okay got it.

_Love by far is the greatest treasure_

_True love is something one cannot measure._

_When the girl I love has been badly hurt_

_The pain and poison I must divert._

_To myself for a single day_

_I must bear the pain to her great dismay._

_When the day has done and the sun has set_

_The pain will subside and gone is the threat._

Yeah, that's good. Okay. See ya later, Lukas." Apollo winked and disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Lukas stunned at the task ahead of him. Divert the pain to himself? Sounds like a lot of pain, but Lukas was determined to do anything to save Tally.


	29. Diverting the Pain

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.**

**Guest - really? the best? wow!  
Saving Grace - really? you think Tally's gonna kill Lukas?  
Theanonymouswriter12 - thanks  
PPP4eva - i don't know  
kari0104 - thanks  
vball17girl - maybe Apollo improved his poetry in the last 100 years...i doubt it tho...lols amish farmers**

**"I've realized today how much I care about my boys. Sounds cheesy, but they're the best friends I could ask for." -Liam Payne **

_too lazy to get some lyrics too lazy to get some lyrics too lazy to get some lyrics too lazy to get some lyrics too lazy to get some lyrics too lazy to get some lyrics too lazy to get some lyrics_

Lukas sprinted to where Tally was still lying.

"Lukas?" Tally asked softly.

"Hey, yeah. It's me," Lukas smiled. "And guess what? I got the cure!"

"Really? Great! What is it?" Tally smiled.

Lukas took a deep breath and said, "Love by far is the greatest treasure, true love is something one cannot measure. When the girl I love has been badly hurt, the pain and poison I must divert. To myself for a single day, I must bear the pain to her great dismay—"

"What!? No! Lukas what are you doing?" Tally exclaimed.

"When the days has done and the sun has set, the pain will subside and gone is the threat," Lukas finished, ignoring Tally's protests.

"Lukas what have you done?" Tally gasped as the pain in her expression and eyes dissolved and the fang marks in her stomach slowly healed.

Lukas doubled over in pain. He could feel poison that didn't exist seeping through his veins. Lukas felt like his insides were being eaten away by acid. He liked his insides just like they were. He felt horrible. How had Tally lived with this pain for so long?

_It's only for the rest of the day. Just wait until the sun rises and sets tomorrow. Then the pain will be gone forever._ Lukas forced himself to think.

"Lukas, you're so stupid. Why are you doing this?" Tally moaned.

"Help you," muttered Lukas.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Tally groaned.

Lukas stopped talking. Talking only made the pain worse.

"Do you need anything? Water? Food?" Tally asked.

Lukas tried to nod.

"So what will it be? Water or food? Or something else?" Tally asked.

Lukas groaned.

"Oh. Okay. I'll go ask Mercury if he can send me some food by Hermes Express," Tally said, frowning.

Tally jogged off leaving Lukas behind to think of what happened. He was helping Tally, he was helping Tally. For Tally, for Tally, for Tally! Lukas scolded himself.

He felt like his skin was peeling off. He felt like he was being boiled then frozen then stuffed in a microwave. Groaning, Lukas struggled to bear the pain.

An hour later Tally came jogging back to Lukas with her arms full with grocery bags. "Sorry, took me _forever_ to exchange denarii for drachmas, strange coins you Greeks use by the way to buy some ambrosia and nectar by Hermes Express. That's what you Greeks use right?" Tally complained. "But here. I got some ambrosia and nectar and also some mortal food."

Tally knelt down and pulled a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares and a canteen of nectar and placed them in front of Lukas. Tally pulled what looked like a lemon square out of the bag and held it out to Lukas.

Lukas tried to reach his hand out to grab the square, but he was so weak he couldn't raise his arm.

"Oh, sorry. Here," Tally apologized. She shoved the square into Lukas's mouth.

"Ack!" Lukas choked, his voice muffled by the ambrosia. Then his eyes widened, "Oh my gods, this is good."

It tasted like the warm double chocolate brownies that his _Avia_ used to make. It tasted like home.

The pain wracking Lukas's body slowly left. His face cleared of the pain and he smiled at Tally. Tally grinned back. Then Lukas's eyes widened and the pain doubled back, stronger than ever. Lukas cried out in pain.

"Oh no!" Tally gasped. "It didn't work!"

Tally sat next to Lukas and fussed around for the rest of the day, looking guilty. The seconds ticked by slower than a snail.

As the sun finally began to dip below the horizon, the pain disappeared from Lukas's body. It was like being frozen then defrosted then baked then cooled until he was completely comfortable and the pain was gone.

Tally looked at Lukas, her eyes soft. "Lukas, th—"

"Later. We gotta go right now." Lukas interrupted. "How do we get to Camp Jupiter from here?"


	30. Make the Moment Last Forever

**Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO. Miss Author does not own Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows the movie part II.**

**This is it guy, this is the last chapter. I know, kind of sudden (please don't review 'wow that was sudden), but I felt like it was the right time.**

**Since this story is over, its time to put in your input about my next fanfic. Any fav characters? Any plot line suggestions? Anything at all?**

**Thanks to the people who reviewed:  
Jen Winchester - lol nice  
Saving Grace - ok  
Theanonymouswriter12 - well, i update everyday. hey do you think i should continue to update short chapters or update looong chapters only once a week or something?  
PPP4eva - I'm trying, but its hard. i am a student, i go to a private school. I have other things in my life. i'm sorry that my chapters aren't that long, but its tough to update long chapters every day. even with these small chapters, i'm going to bed at midnight every night.  
blessedbyartemis11 - yaya harry potter  
vball17girl - i probs flunked the history test. weened at i gots a bet. if i did get an A+ then i gotta eat an apple at lunch, and if I did not get an A+ then she has to eat a dessert. :) we're finally gonna get weened to eat something sweet!  
kari0104 - okay**

**"Zayn doesn't make eye contact with the fans much. I think he's afraid they might melt." -Niall Horan**

_blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah_

Lukas and Tally were riding on the back of Tempest. Tally's mother had inherited Tempest from Jason, Tally's grandfather, and Tally had inherited Tempest from her mother.

Tempest reared his head and neighed indignantly.

"What is it, Tempest?" Tally whispered quietly.

The storm spirit neighed again.

"What?" Lukas asked Tally.

"We're almost there," Tally said shortly. Maybe she was upset that Lukas had cut her off earlier every time she tried to say something.

"How long?" Lukas asked.

Tally ignored him.

Ten stone silent minutes later, at a highway's side Tally said, "This is as far as Tempest will take us. He's afraid of Metus, which he can sense with his voo-doo ventus horsey sense."

"Voo-doo ventus horsey sense?" Lukas smirked.

"What?" Tally frowned.

"Wait, wait, wait. Did you say Metus?" Lukas asked suddenly.

"Yes. Camp is in chaos. Metus decided he wanted to destroy the camps first. Make the Olympians watch their children suffer." Tally nodded.

Suddenly, Tempest disappeared in a flash of lightning and Tally and Lukas tumbled to the ground.

"Ouch." Tally grumbled as she shoved Lukas off herself.

"Sorry," Lukas mumbled.

"Doesn't matter, let's go," Tally said, dusting herself off and pulled Lukas up.

Tally sprinted down the highway towards Caldecott Tunnel with Lukas hot on her heels.

"Oh gods, we're too late," muttered Tally. Lukas looked down into the valley of Camp Jupiter and gasped.

Campers were crying and screaming, their worst fears coming true. Campers were collapsed on the ground, out cold.

Worst of all, Jessie was there. And she was standing, perfectly fine right next to Metus.

"That traitor!" Lukas gasped.

"It's just like in the prophecy, remember? _The heart of the hero enslaved by fear, the path for the brave is never clear, and love is not but a worthless lie, as she waits eagerly for her friends to die. _The she is Jessie. Her love for you was a worthless lie and now she waits eagerly for us to die!" Tally said, her eyes wide.

"What about the heart of the hero enslaved by fear?"

"Could heart have double meaning? Maybe the person the hero loves enslaved by fear. And the path for the brave...um maybe the way to defeat Metus is never clear?"

"I don't kno—" Lukas started to say, but suddenly, Lukas's mind was filled with the horrible feelings of loss. He doubled over in pain. Then he realized what that feeling meant. His greatest fear, ever since he was young, was the loss of something or someone he loved. He realized that the someone he never wanted to lose was Tally.

Tally screamed. The phony fear Metus was forcing Lukas to feel disappeared and was replaced with a very real, very scary fear. The fear that Tally was in pain. That she was hurt.

"Tally!" Lukas shouted.

Tally groaned. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"What are you sorry about?" Lukas asked in confusion.

"I'm sorry that I got hurt and you had to go and save me," mumbled Tally.

"You got hurt as you saved me. We're even," Lukas frowned.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Tally kept mumbling.

Lukas wondered vaguely what Tally's fear was.

Suddenly, Tally's fears came tumbling out of her mouth. "Everyone always expects me to be perfect just because I'm a descendant of Jupiter and Jason and Reyna. Sometimes I feel like I have no one. No one cares about how I really feel. Whenever I do something good, people say, 'oh it's because she's Jason's granddaughter.' Whenever I do something wrong, people say, 'you're a disgrace to your ancestors.' I always feel like when I'm not living up to my ancestors' name, I don't deserve to live. I live in the shadows of—"

"Shh." Lukas interrupted. "That's your greatest fear is, huh?"

Tally nodded, her eyes red. Lukas hadn't even noticed that she had been crying.

Lukas suddenly felt fury like he never had before. Not when the bullies at his school made fun of him and called him stupid. Not when his teachers gave him bad grades just because they were predisposed by previous teachers to think that Lukas was a bad student.

But this was too much. He could handle, all those other stupid things, but this, this he couldn't handle. He hated Metus. He hated him for haunting him since he was young, he hated him for hurting his camps, but mostly Lukas hated Metus for hurting Tally.

Without thinking, Lukas grabbed Tally and pulled her in for a hug. Metus screamed and the crying and chaos of the camp dimmed. Lukas suddenly realized how Metus could be defeated. He couldn't be defeated by force; he'd just recreate your fears stronger than before. He had to be defeated by the opposite of fear. Love. Love is the complete absence of fear.

Lukas loved Tally. He could do this. He could save her.

Wrapping Tally in his arms, Lukas poured all his emotions into his words. "I love you."

Metus screamed and he dissolved, Voldemort style.

Slowly, campers began to recover. People were shaking their heads, trying to clear out the remaining images of their fears. Friends were hugging each other in relief that the horror was over.

Tally looked at Lukas. "I love you, too."

She softly pressed her lips against Lukas's. Lukas felt that nothing could make up for this feeling. Not all the riches under the earth. Not a long, peaceful life. Not even the Isles of the Blest.

Lukas was happy where he was. He tried to live in the moment. He tried to make the moment last forever.


End file.
